Burkina Faso: Toward dynamic trade and industry with a positive mid-term assessment
The Burkinabe government, through the Ministry of Industrial Development, Trade, Handicrafts, and SMEs, has reaffirmed its commitment to economic growth. During the mid-term review of the 2025 performance contracts, Minister Serge Gnaniodem Poda announced that 60.85% of the 60 planned activities had already been completed—surpassing the 50% target set for mid-year.
The contract focuses on three main areas: promoting trade and services, developing the industrial and handicrafts sectors, and ensuring good economic and financial governance. These efforts aim to boost growth, support local entrepreneurship, and improve the competitiveness of Burkinabe businesses both at home and abroad.
Key actions in the first half of 2025 included fighting commercial fraud and unfair pricing practices, as well as supporting developing industrial units. Minister Poda also highlighted the revival of BRAFASO (with rehabilitation nearly complete) and the expansion of Faso Flour Mill (MINOFA) in Banfora, where two new production lines were installed.
In the handicrafts sector, the ministry plans to open the National Center for the Artisanal Transformation of Cotton (CNATAC) in Bobo-Dioulasso in the second half of 2025. This is part of a long-term strategy to support artisans and promote local products.
Minister Poda also praised the good performance of public companies under his ministry, which achieved a combined turnover of 24 billion CFA francs—showing the positive impact of results-based governance.
With a few months left in the year, the ministry aims to build on this progress, speed up remaining activities, and increase the socio-economic impact of its work—confirming that trade, industry, and handicrafts are key pillars of Burkina Faso’s economic development.
