Where 63% of public funds disappear before touching lives

Despite repeated budget announcements and resource mobilization, only 37% of Burkina Faso’s public investment projects ever materialize. The question isn’t whether the money exists—it’s why nearly two-thirds of allocated funds evaporate before delivering tangible results.

From paper promises to lost billions: the harsh reality

The stark disparity between planning and execution has caught the attention of global financial institutions. Recent evaluations show a systemic failure: while administrative frameworks have modernized and budget allocations have increased since 2021, the physical transformation of these resources into durable infrastructure remains stalled at just 37% completion.

The International Monetary Fund’s 2026 assessment underlines a harsh truth—progress in policy design hasn’t translated into on-the-ground development. Schools aren’t built, roads aren’t paved, and rural communities still lack potable water. The funds are approved. The budgets are passed. But the promised outcomes never materialize.

Four key leakages draining public investment funds

The loss of 63% of public investment funds isn’t due to a lack of money. It’s a result of structural inefficiencies, poor planning, and administrative bottlenecks that siphon off resources before they can create value.

1. Flawed project designs and underestimated costs

Many projects are approved without thorough feasibility studies. Inaccurate cost assessments, poorly chosen sites, and unclear priorities lead to technical surprises, budget overruns, and stalled sites—wasting early disbursements without delivering results.

2. Payment delays and bureaucratic paralysis

The public procurement process in Burkina Faso is often a marathon of delays. Slow approvals, delayed payments to local contractors, and cumbersome tender processes slow construction to a crawl. Stressed by cash flow issues, many small and medium construction firms abandon projects mid-way, leaving half-built roads and stalled schools in their wake.

3. Abandoned projects and zero maintenance culture

Even when projects are miraculously completed, they often face immediate neglect. Without dedicated maintenance budgets, newly paved roads crumble after the first rains, electrical systems fail, and water systems break down. Public capital depreciates rapidly, erasing the value of the original investment.

4. Rules on paper, reality in disarray

While Burkina Faso’s institutional framework has been modernized to meet donor expectations, enforcement of transparency, accountability, and performance tracking remains weak. The gap between policy and practice allows inefficiencies to persist unchecked.

The PPP trap: a risky gamble without fixing the core

In response to these failures, the government is considering shifting more responsibility to Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to attract private capital. While this strategy has potential on paper, it risks exacerbating the problem if structural weaknesses aren’t addressed first.

Entrusting projects to the private sector without strengthening state oversight could lead to inflated costs, complex public guarantees, and increased future debt—without improving project completion rates. Without fixing the broken execution chain, more PPPs may simply pour money into a broken system.

No more empty budgets: the urgent path to tangible impact

With only 37% of projects completed, throwing more money into the same system is like pouring water into a sieve. The true measure of investment success isn’t the size of the budget or the number of announcements—it’s the delivery of functioning infrastructure that improves lives.

For the people of Burkina Faso, the only meaningful metric is real, durable infrastructure—new schools that stay open, roads that remain passable, clean water that flows consistently. Before seeking new funds, the government must repair the public execution chain so that every franc invested delivers 100% of its intended value.

By Maimouna Kaboré — Journalist