From promises to dust: how billions disappear before ground is broken
Burkina Faso’s government proudly unveils ambitious infrastructure budgets year after year, yet a staggering reality remains: just 37% of planned public investment projects ever reach completion. A paradigm shift is long overdue—one that moves beyond announcements and into tangible delivery.
Where the missing billions go: uncovering the four drains on public funds
The 63% shortfall in public investment isn’t merely an accounting mystery; it’s the result of a systemic failure that stretches from planning to execution. Here’s where the money vanishes:
- Faulty pre-project studies: Many initiatives enter the budget without rigorous feasibility assessments, leading to inaccurate cost estimates, unsuitable site selection, and costly technical surprises once construction begins.
- Administrative bottlenecks and delayed payments: The public procurement process resembles a marathon obstacle course. Lengthy approvals, delayed contractor payments, and cash-flow crises force small local construction firms to abandon unfinished projects.
- Lack of long-term maintenance: Even when an asset is delivered, it often crumbles under neglect. Without dedicated upkeep budgets, newly paved roads wash away in the rainy season, and electrical systems fail prematurely, wasting resources twice over.
- Gap between policy and practice: Despite modernized regulations aimed at winning donor confidence, weak enforcement means lofty transparency and oversight standards exist mostly on paper.
Public-private partnerships: a leap of faith or a financial trap?
With public infrastructure execution stalled at just 37%, authorities are eyeing public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a way to infuse fresh capital. But without addressing the root causes—poor project preparation, weak contract enforcement, and non-existent maintenance culture—PPPs risk becoming an expensive gamble. Private investors may demand excessive guarantees, inflating future budgets without improving delivery rates.
From paper promises to groundbreaking impact: redefining investment success
For decades, Burkina Faso’s public investment performance has been measured in budget size and legislative announcements. But citizens measure success in concrete terms: a new classroom that doesn’t flood in the rainy season, a road that doesn’t turn to mud, and a water pump that keeps running. Until the execution chain is repaired—from feasibility to handover—every new franc committed risks disappearing into the same cycle of abandonment and waste.
Three urgent reforms to bridge the reality gap
- Strengthen feasibility studies: Require independent third-party validation of cost estimates, site suitability, and environmental impact before any project is approved.
- Streamline payments and transparency: Implement digital tracking for contractor payments and publish real-time execution dashboards to expose bottlenecks and prevent delays.
- Institutionalize maintenance budgets: Dedicate at least 8–10% of every infrastructure budget to post-delivery upkeep, with penalties for ministries that fail to allocate or disburse these funds.
