(Ecofin Agency) - Previous rules for identifying subscribers to electronic communication services in Burkina Faso were put in place in December 2018, but the government believes they have not achieved the desired results.

The Burkina Faso government has decided to modify the rules for identifying subscribers to electronic communication services in the country. The decision, taken during a cabinet meeting on October 18, is aimed at reinforcing security within the country.

The new rules provide for a reduction in the number of identification documents required when registering for electronic communication services, a reduction in the number of SIM cards per subscriber from five to two per operator, and the obligation for operators to sell SIM cards in their own stores or at authorized points of sale. Operators and customers have three months to comply with these directives.

This new decision comes in a context marked in particular by the security crisis and the upsurge in cases of "hijacking of electronic communications services". A first decree had already been adopted in December 2018, but its implementation did not achieve the expected results, the government said.

"The adoption of this decree will enable better supervision of access to SIM cards, reliability of electronic communications service user data to effectively combat their use for illicit purposes," reads the minutes of the Council of Ministers.

As a reminder, Burkina Faso has 25.5 million active SIM cards, according to the national mobile telephony market observatory published by the telecom regulator (ARCEP) for the second half of 2022.