A fire that broke out at an annex of the Burkina Faso branch of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) has been contained without disrupting the institution’s operations, the bank said.
The blaze started on May 30 at around 1800 GMT in an annex building of the BCEAO’s main branch in Ouagadougou, according to a statement issued by the regional central bank.
The bank said its security personnel, working alongside firefighters from the National Fire Brigade, quickly brought the fire under control, preventing it from spreading to other facilities.
“The incident was rapidly contained thanks to the mobilisation of the institution’s security teams and the prompt intervention of the National Fire Brigade,” the BCEAO said.
The bank reported only minor material damage and stressed that the fire had no impact on the functioning of its main branch in the Burkinabe capital.
Operations continued normally throughout the incident, and all banking and administrative services remained fully operational, the institution added.
The BCEAO sought to reassure the public and financial sector stakeholders that its activities had not been interrupted and that the security of its facilities remained intact.
The regional monetary authority also thanked the National Fire Brigade and other state agencies involved in responding to the emergency, praising their professionalism and efficiency.
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No casualties were reported.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire, and no information has been provided on whether an investigation has been launched.
The BCEAO serves as the central bank for the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), which includes Burkina Faso, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. The institution is responsible for issuing the CFA franc and overseeing monetary policy across the bloc.
The incident comes at a time when financial institutions across the region are placing increased emphasis on operational resilience and infrastructure security amid growing economic and security challenges.
Despite the fire, the BCEAO said its facilities in Ouagadougou remain fully functional and that services to commercial banks, government agencies and the public continue without interruption.
