• Burkina Faso recorded a $1.6 billion trade surplus in Q4 2025, up sharply from the previous quarter.

• Gold accounted for 96.8% of total exports and drove a 41.4% surge in export value.

• Imports rose modestly, with China remaining the country’s top supplier.

Burkina Faso recorded a sharp improvement in its trade balance in the fourth quarter of 2025, supported by strong export growth led by gold, according to data from the Directorate General of Customs.

The Directorate General of Customs reported that the trade surplus reached CFA928.4 billion ($1.6 billion), compared with CFA334.7 billion in the previous quarter. Export growth significantly outpaced import growth during the period.

A Moderate Increase in Imports

Imports recorded a moderate increase of 0.7% and reached CFA1,126.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with CFA1,118.7 billion in the previous quarter.

Hydrocarbons maintained their dominant position in the import structure. Their value reached CFA318.1 billion and accounted for 28.2% of total imports. However, this category declined by 2.6% quarter-on-quarter and by 17.1% year-on-year.

Medicines ranked as the second most imported products. Meanwhile, food products recorded increases, particularly wheat, which ranked sixth and rose by 62.8%, and rice, which ranked eighth and increased by 1.6%.

China remained the country’s leading trade partner, accounting for CFA254.9 billion, or 22.6% of total imports. Russia, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire followed as key suppliers.

Strong Export Growth Driven by Gold

Exports showed significantly stronger momentum during the period. Their value increased from CFA1,453.4 billion in the third quarter of 2025 to CFA2,055.3 billion in the fourth quarter, marking a 41.4% rise.

Gold remained by far the leading export product. The precious metal reached a record value of CFA1,989.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and accounted for 96.8% of total exports. This performance confirmed the central role of the gold sector in the country’s external revenues.

Seasonal agricultural products also recorded strong year-on-year growth, including shea butter, cashew nuts, and mangoes. By contrast, sesame and cotton exports declined significantly over the same period.

Burkina Faso directed the vast majority of its exports, primarily gold, to a limited number of markets. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland accounted for 93.8% of total exports.

These performances occurred amid ongoing reforms aimed at modernizing the country’s trade system.

Authorities continue to digitalize customs procedures. In addition, they recently established the Burkina Faso Investment and Export Promotion Agency (ABIPEX) to support trade flows and enhance export performance.

Charlène N’dimon