Burkina Faso posted a sharp rise in its trade surplus in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven overwhelmingly by higher gold exports, underlining the central role of the mining sector in the country’s external earnings.
According to data from the Directorate General of Customs, the country recorded a trade surplus of 1.6 billion dollars in the final quarter of 2025. That marks a significant improvement from about 579 million dollars recorded in the third quarter, as export growth far outpaced the rise in imports.
The latest figures show that while imports rose only marginally during the period, exports expanded strongly, helped almost entirely by gold shipments.
On the import side, Burkina Faso recorded a 0.7 percent increase in total imports, which rose to about 1.95 billion dollars in the fourth quarter from roughly 1.93 billion dollars in the previous quarter.
Hydrocarbons remained the country’s largest import category, with a total value of about 550 million dollars, representing 28.2 percent of all imports. However, spending on hydrocarbons declined by 2.6 percent compared with the previous quarter and was down 17.1 percent year-on-year, suggesting some moderation in fuel-related import costs.
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Medicines ranked as the second-largest import item during the quarter, highlighting the country’s continued dependence on pharmaceutical imports. Food imports also saw notable increases, particularly wheat, which climbed by 62.8 percent, and rice, which rose by 1.6 percent. These increases reflect continued domestic demand for staple food products and underscore the country’s reliance on imported food supplies in some key categories.
In terms of trade partners, China remained Burkina Faso’s largest supplier during the period, accounting for about 441 million dollars, or 22.6 percent, of total imports. Other major suppliers included Russia, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, reinforcing the country’s diverse import relationships across both global and regional markets.
The real story of the quarter, however, was on the export side.
Total exports rose sharply from about 2.52 billion dollars in the third quarter to roughly 3.56 billion dollars in the fourth quarter of 2025. That represents a 41.4 percent quarter-on-quarter increase and points to a major expansion in Burkina Faso’s export earnings within just three months.
Gold remained by far the dominant export commodity and was the main driver of this strong performance. The precious metal generated about 3.45 billion dollars in export value during the quarter and accounted for an overwhelming 96.8 percent of total exports.
That means nearly all of Burkina Faso’s export earnings during the period came from one commodity, highlighting both the strength and the vulnerability of the country’s external trade structure. While gold continues to provide substantial foreign exchange and fiscal support, the heavy concentration also exposes the economy to price volatility and external market shocks.
Beyond gold, some seasonal agricultural exports also posted encouraging year-on-year gains. Products such as shea butter, cashew nuts, and mangoes recorded stronger performances, offering signs of diversification, even if still on a much smaller scale compared with mining.
However, not all agricultural exports performed well. Sesame and cotton, two important export crops for the country, recorded significant declines over the same period, pointing to uneven conditions within the agricultural export sector.
Burkina Faso’s export destinations also remained highly concentrated. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland accounted for 93.8 percent of total exports, reflecting the dominant role these markets play in absorbing the country’s gold output.
The trade performance comes at a time when authorities are pursuing reforms aimed at improving trade efficiency and boosting export competitiveness. These include the digitalization of customs procedures and the creation of the Burkina Faso Investment and Export Promotion Agency, known as ABIPEX.
Officials hope these measures will help strengthen trade flows, improve export performance, and reduce administrative bottlenecks over time.
For now, however, Burkina Faso’s strong fourth-quarter trade surplus remains a clear reflection of one reality: gold continues to be the backbone of the country’s external trade.
