Burkina Faso: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 3 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Burkina Faso.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Burkina Faso in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Burkina Faso may still be on a list.

Check a shipment to Burkina Faso →

On the sanctions lists

3 entries on the official lists name Burkina Faso — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	3	3	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Burkina Faso recorded yet.

All updates →

All sanctioned countries compared by regime

Logistics profile

Burkina Faso: logistics and trade

Landlocked country rich in raw materials, gold exporter

Burkina Faso (ISO-Code: BF) is located in West Africa and borders Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire. Politically, the country is a presidential republic with decentralized administrative structures. The climate is predominantly tropical with a pronounced rainy season between May and September and long dry periods. Economically, Burkina Faso relies primarily on agriculture, mining, especially gold production, and cotton production. The country depends on imports for energy, machinery, food, and consumer goods. Due to its landlocked nature, Burkina Faso has a limited transit function; access to ports is through neighboring countries like Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. The national currency is the CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF), which is pegged to the Euro and ensures stable trade relations. In foreign trade, France, China, and neighboring countries are among the most important partners. Logistically, road and railway connections play a central role in domestic trade and regional integration. Burkina Faso is considered a resource-rich landlocked country with growing significance for regional trade in West Africa.

Capital: Ouagadougou
Population: 23,548,781
Area: 274,222 km²
Currency: CFA Franc (BCEAO) (XOF)
Continent: Africa
Region: West Africa / UEMOA
Economic area: UEMOA / WAEMU (ECOWAS withdrawal 2025)
Religions: Islam, Christianity
Access to the sea: Landlocked

Transport modes Road · Rail · Air

Current situation: ECOWAS withdrawal on 29 January 2025 (AES confederation with Mali and Niger); possible effects on freedom of movement and documents. Transit continues via Abidjan, Tema and Lomé.
Seasonal conditions: Rainy season May to September makes tracks and secondary roads temporarily impassable; Harmattan dust winds (December to February) affect visibility and air freight.

Main cargo airports

Ouagadougou Thomas Sankara International AirportOUA
Ouagadougou Thomas Sankara (OUA): Burkina Faso's main air-cargo gateway, ~10,000 t/year, bonded customs warehouse, road and rail links to West African ports.
Bobo Dioulasso AirportBOY
Bobo-Dioulasso (BOY/DFOO), Burkina Faso: 3,300 m runway, Air Burkina to Ouagadougou and Côte d'Ivoire, little air cargo. Freight via OUA or Abidjan, Sitarail rail.

Road corridors

Ouagadougou - Abidjan (CI, approx. 1.100 km)
Ouagadougou - Tema/Accra (GH, approx. 1.040 km)
Ouagadougou - Lomé (TG, approx. 950 km)
Ouagadougou - Cotonou (BJ)

Rail corridors

Sitarail Abidjan - Ouagadougou (rail corridor)

Inland ports

Ouagarinter dry port (Ouagadougou)
Bobo-Dioulasso dry port

Main trade lanes

Gold exports to Switzerland, India and the UAE
Imports via the ports of Abidjan, Tema and Lomé
Cotton and sesame exports

Customs and import

Customs authority Directorate General of Customs (DGD) of Burkina FasoOfficial website ↗

Import customs system: Electronic customs clearance via SYDONIA World (online since Nov 2019); national Single Window SYLVIE (version 2 since Feb 2025). Declarations submitted by licensed customs agents.
Export customs system: Exports also via SYDONIA World and the Single Window SYLVIE. Gold exports are subject to special control and approval by mining and finance authorities.
Import VAT: Import VAT 18 percent on CIF value plus customs duty. Additionally statistical fee 1 percent, UEMOA solidarity levy 1 percent and ECOWAS levy 0,5 percent.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Proof of origin for preference within UEMOA/WAEMU and ECOWAS free trade. EU market access via EBA initiative; AGOA access to the USA withdrawn since 1 January 2023.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Controls on weapons, ammunition and explosives (including for mining). Restrictions on certain agricultural, pharmaceutical and dangerous goods; gold export requires approval.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Transport document (CMR, AWB, B/L)
Import declaration (SYDONIA World)
Certificate of origin
Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons (BSC/ECTN)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export declaration (SYDONIA World)
Certificate of origin
Phytosanitary certificate (agricultural products)
Gold export approval

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: High
Customs delays: High
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: Low to medium

Trade

Top import partners

China Côte d'Ivoire France Ghana India

Top export partners

Switzerland India Côte d'Ivoire France China

Top import goods

Petroleum products
Machinery
Vehicles
Foodstuffs
Chemicals

Top export goods

Gold
Cotton
Sesame
Livestock
Agricultural products

Typical cargo

Gold
Cotton
Sesame
Livestock
Petroleum products
Machinery
Vehicles
Consumer goods

Logistics questions

Which customs system does Burkina Faso use?

The Direction Générale des Douanes (DGD) handles imports and exports electronically via SYDONIA World. The national Single Window SYLVIE, launched in version 2 in February 2025, is used in addition.

What is the import tax rate in Burkina Faso?

The standard import VAT rate is 18 percent on the CIF value plus customs duty. In addition there is a statistical fee of 1 percent, the UEMOA solidarity levy of 1 percent and the ECOWAS levy of 0,5 percent.

How do imports reach the landlocked country of Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso has no sea access. Goods are shipped via the seaports of Abidjan, Tema, Lomé and Cotonou and reach Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso by road or by rail (Sitarail from Abidjan).

Which ports are used for transit?

The main transit ports are Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire, with rail connection), Tema and Accra (Ghana), Lomé (Togo) and Cotonou (Benin). Abidjan and Lomé traditionally handle the largest volumes of Burkina transit.

What is the security situation for transport?

The security situation is very tense. Terrorist groups are active in large parts of the country, and robberies and kidnappings occur on roads, especially in the East and Sahel regions. Escorts and route planning are often necessary.

Which currency applies in Burkina Faso?

The CFA franc BCEAO (XOF) applies, pegged to the euro at a fixed rate (1 EUR = 655,957 XOF). This ensures predictable exchange rates in trade with the euro area.

What does the ECOWAS withdrawal mean for logistics?

Burkina Faso left ECOWAS on 29 January 2025 together with Mali and Niger (AES). Key transit routes remain open, but future changes are possible regarding freedom of movement, documents and preferences.

What are the main export goods?

By far the most important export good is gold, followed by cotton, sesame, livestock and other agricultural products. Gold exports are subject to special approval and control requirements.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗