Overview
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked West African country of about 24 million people. Covering roughly 274,200 km², it borders Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. Ouagadougou is the capital. The country gained independence from France in 1960 as Upper Volta and was renamed Burkina Faso in 1984 under Thomas Sankara. Its political history has included periods of military and civilian rule, including the long presidency of Blaise Compaoré from 1987 until a popular uprising in 2014. Following two military coups in 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has led a transitional government, whose transition period was extended by five years from July 2024. Burkina Faso has also strengthened its regional ties with Mali and Niger through the Alliance of Sahel States, and the three countries formally withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States in January 2025. Since 2015, attacks by armed groups have created a severe security and humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 2 million people by 2023. Islam is the predominant religion, alongside Christianity and traditional beliefs.
Burkina Faso’s economy depends on gold and agriculture for exports and employment. Gold is the main export, and production reached 94 tons in 2025, up from 61 tons in 2024. Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and employs about half of the workforce, with cotton as the main cash crop. In 2025, Burkina Faso’s GDP per capita was approximately US$1,148, and real GDP grew by 5.3%.
Source: World Bank. (2026). World Development Indicators, from https://data.worldbank.org/country/burkina-faso
Institutions
Institutions with at least one Faculty Member Registered with Ivey Publishing
- Université de Koudougou
- Université de Ouagadougou
- Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso
Source: Ivey Publishing. 39C Accounts by Country. Provided by Adrianna Gleam-Fossaceca, Ivey Publishing, August 11, 2026.
Cases
Ivey-Copyrighted Cases in or involving Burkina Faso
Ivey Publishing and the 39 Country Initiative welcome additional case submissions that deepen understanding of Burkina Faso’s businesses, institutions, industries, and broader economic and social context.
| Case | Authors | Published / Revised | Product Number | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technologies Ecofixe: Green Wastewater Treatment for Africa | Roxanne Lavoie-Drapeau, Gwyneth Edwards | May 5, 2020 | 9B20M079 | 14 |
| Where Have You Been? An Exercise to Assess Your Exposure to the Rest of the World’s Peoples | Paul W. Beamish | Nov 27, 2025 | W48085 | 11 |
| SEWA (A): Ela Bhatt | Sonia Mehrotra, Oana Branzei | Sep 3, 2014; revised Jan 26, 2017 | 9B14C018 | 16 |
| SEWA (B): Ela Bhatt | Sonia Mehrotra, Oana Branzei | Sep 3, 2014 | 9B14C019 | 4 |
Source: Ivey Publishing. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/
Workshops
Workshops Provided to Institutions in Burkina Faso
No case-teaching workshops have been held in Burkina Faso to date. Opportunities remain to extend the 39 Country Initiative’s outreach to institutions through its online case-teaching activities.