Best Prospect Industry – Telecommunications

The telecommunications field remains perhaps the best trade prospect for U.S. companies. Since the late 1980s, U.S. firms have supplied Burkina Faso's national telephone company (Onatel) with telecommunications equipment. The newly privatized companies Onatel, Zain, and Telecel currently manage projects aimed at increasing Burkina Faso’s telephone network.

The mobile phone market is currently experiencing a boom in Burkina Faso. This quick growth is the result of an increase of competition, the diversification of offers and the extension of the network. By the end of 2007, the number of mobile phone customers had reached 1.858 million subscribers. It is expected that this increase will continue for the next five years. The government parastatal, Onatel, recently sold 51 percent of its land and mobile phone service to Maroc Telecom.

Opportunities

There is renewed Burkinabe interest in U.S. manufactured telecommunications equipment. U.S. firms interested in entering this market should consider possible credit financing arrangements and appoint a local partner/representative.