Burkina Faso’s unspent public investment billions: where the money vanishes

A stark reality is exposing the flaws in Burkina Faso’s public spending strategy: only 37% of government-backed infrastructure projects ever break ground. That leaves a staggering 63% of promised funding unspent and untraceable — a gap that demands urgent answers.

Understanding the 63% gap in public investment projects

Despite repeated pledges and increased budget allocations, Burkina Faso’s public investment machinery is failing to deliver on its promises. Official assessments reveal that fewer than two in five planned projects ever reach completion. The question remains: what really happens to the missing billions?

This isn’t just a budgeting issue — it reflects a systemic failure in execution. While the government has improved administrative frameworks and secured more funding, the tangible impact on citizens’ daily lives remains minimal. Schools go unbuilt, roads remain unpaved, and water access initiatives stall, leaving communities underserved and funds unutilized.

Four areas where public funds evaporate before reaching citizens

Contrary to the belief that missing funds are due to lack of cash flow, the issue stems from deeper structural flaws. These include poor planning, sluggish bureaucracy, and weak oversight. Here’s a breakdown of the four key leakage points:

• The trap of poorly designed feasibility studies: Many projects are approved without rigorous site assessments, accurate cost estimates, or clear priority ranking. Unforeseen technical hurdles arise during execution, forcing escalating costs and premature project abandonment.
• The drag of delayed payments and cumbersome procurement: The public procurement system is bogged down by administrative delays and irregular disbursements. Local construction firms, starved of timely payments, often walk away from partially completed projects, leaving half-built infrastructure in limbo.
• The spiral of abandoned infrastructure and zero maintenance: Even when projects are miraculously completed, they are frequently left without allocated upkeep funds. Newly paved roads crack under seasonal rains, and new water systems fail within months due to lack of maintenance, erasing the initial investment before it ever benefits users.
• The illusion of reform: modern laws, weak enforcement: While Burkina Faso has updated its public investment laws to meet donor expectations, compliance and enforcement on the ground remain superficial. Transparency and results tracking are often treated as checkbox exercises rather than operational imperatives.

Public-Private Partnerships: a viable fix or a new risk?

In response to these shortcomings, officials are eyeing public-private partnerships (PPPs) to inject private capital and expertise into stalled projects. While attractive in theory, PPPs risk exacerbating the problem if fundamental governance gaps persist.

Without stronger regulatory oversight and robust contract enforcement, PPPs could lead to inflated costs, hidden liabilities, and long-term fiscal burdens — all without guaranteeing higher completion rates or better service delivery.

Shifting the focus: from budget announcements to delivered results

Throwing more money at a broken system is like pouring water into a leaky bucket. Burkina Faso’s public investment strategy must pivot from counting allocated funds to measuring actual outcomes. For citizens, the only benchmark that matters is visible, durable infrastructure that enhances daily life — not the size of the budget or the number of press releases.

Before seeking new sources of funding or expanding project lists, the government must urgently repair its execution chain. Only then can every franc spent translate into tangible development that reaches communities.

By Alasane OUEDRAOGO — Journalist