Burkina Faso plans to extend mobile and internet services to 1,000 remote areas over the next three years. These ‘white zones’ currently lack telephony and internet access.
Moreover, operators are not required to invest in these unprofitable areas, so public funds will be used to develop the necessary infrastructure.
Aminata Zerbo-Sabane, the Minister of Digital Transition, Posts, and Electronic Communications, announced the plan during a recent TV broadcast. She noted that out of 1,700 identified white zones, 183 were connected in 2022. The government has invested CFA 6.2 billion (around US$10.47 million) from the Universal Access and Service Fund (FASU) to support this initiative.
Currently, mobile service covers 85% of Burkina Faso, with 3G reaching 64% and 4G covering 46%. According to ARCEP, there were 27.26 million mobile subscriptions as of March 31, reflecting a penetration rate of 116.45%. However, the government has proposed legislation to limit SIM card ownership.
The total number of mobile internet subscriptions stands at 18.67 million, covering 79.78% of the population, which is approximately 23 million according to the CIA World Factbook. The country’s main mobile operators are Moov Africa, Orange, and Telecel.
