en.Wedoany.com Reported - The government of Burkina Faso has launched an inspection campaign targeting certain public telecommunications infrastructure across the country, aiming to protect these assets to ensure stable access to the internet and digital services. The inspection, initiated by the Ministry of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications (Ministère de la Transition digitale, des Postes et des Communications électroniques) on June 15, will run until June 24, covering fiber optic networks, technical equipment, energy supply systems, and other critical facilities for telecommunications operations. In a statement, the ministry said the move is intended to safeguard public investments in the sector, prevent failures, enhance infrastructure performance, and gradually improve connection quality for the benefit of the population.
This inspection campaign comes several months after the Burkinabe authorities initiated the construction of a digital infrastructure monitoring center. The center, estimated to cost 3.05 billion CFA francs (approximately $5.4 million), is scheduled to become operational in October 2026. Its main tasks include centralized monitoring of the national backbone network, cyberspace security assurance, data center operations, and the maintenance and protection of the country's critical digital infrastructure.
Burkina Faso's digital infrastructure faces multiple risks, with vandalism being one of the primary threats. Destructive activities are mainly concentrated on fiber optic and copper cable networks, manifesting as individual theft and damage to cables, whose metal components are resold on informal markets. Additionally, public and private works, such as urban renovation, real estate development, road repairs, or water supply network installations, frequently cause cable damage.
Beyond fiber optic and copper cables, operators' telecommunications sites have also become targets, with equipment essential for base station operations such as generators, solar panels, or diesel fuel often being stolen. In Burkina Faso, the security situation severely impacts telecommunications networks, with approximately one-quarter of base station antennas destroyed by armed groups, leading to an estimated 10% to 20% reduction in mobile and internet service coverage and a decline in overall service quality.
According to a study by the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP), the number of destroyed telecommunication towers increased from 11 in 2019 to 106 in 2022. Meanwhile, the number of non-functional or inaccessible sites rose from 632 in 2022 to 681 in August 2023. Operators Orange and Moov Africa have both reported the impact of these destructions on their operations.
Efforts to protect digital infrastructure are unfolding amid the country's digital transformation process. This infrastructure is crucial for the operation of government, businesses, and digital services, with household demand for internet access growing and enterprises needing it for collaboration, cloud services, and data management. The Burkinabe government plans to achieve nationwide high-speed broadband coverage by 2030. According to data from the International Telecommunication Union, approximately 28.3% of the country's population had internet access in 2024, with a mobile phone penetration rate of 63.9%.
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