The findings are contained in the IMF’s Public Investment Management Assessment and Climate-PIMA High-Level Summary Technical Assistance Report, published in January 2026. The review follows a request from the Burkinabè authorities and builds on an earlier assessment carried out in 2017.
According to the IMF, public investment in Burkina Faso has increased markedly since 2021, rising above the average levels recorded across the West African Economic and Monetary Union and sub-Saharan Africa.
However, this surge in spending has not translated into meaningful improvements in infrastructure access or public service delivery. The country’s public capital stock has declined compared to peer economies, while access to basic social services remains well below regional and global averages.
The report notes that Burkina Faso has strengthened its legal and institutional framework for public investment management. Key advances include the adoption of a public investment management decree, the introduction of a public-private partnership framework, improved project appraisal guidelines and the use of multi-year budgeting. Fiscal rules and asset monitoring mechanisms have also been enhanced.
Despite these reforms, the IMF warns of a persistent gap between policy design and implementation. Challenges remain in project selection, funding availability, maintenance planning and project execution. Weak coordination and limited technical capacity continue to undermine the efficiency and durability of public investments.
Climate considerations are beginning to feature in planning and risk management, but the IMF found that integration remains limited. Burkina Faso is highly vulnerable to climate shocks, particularly in agriculture, which plays a central role in the economy. While the country’s contribution to global emissions is low, heavy reliance on traditional biomass and imported fossil fuels highlights the need for a low-carbon transition.
The IMF identified nine high-priority recommendations to improve investment outcomes. These include adopting a project-based budgeting approach, strengthening transparency, improving procurement practices, enhancing climate risk analysis and ensuring sustainable funding for asset maintenance. Targeted action plans are proposed for the period 2025 to 2027.
For Burkina Faso, the IMF concludes that improving the efficiency and climate resilience of public investment is critical to turning higher spending into lasting development gains, especially at a time of security pressures and constrained fiscal space across the Sahel.
–IMF/ChannelAfrica–
