Managing a Burkina Faso presence remotely? Contact us for a Sahel risk assessment.
Residential security in Ouagadougou is not a viable programme under the current extreme risk conditions. The FCDO advises against all travel to Burkina Faso, including Ouagadougou, and the US State Department classifies the country at Level 4 (Do Not Travel). This page serves organisations monitoring the situation, managing wind-down of prior programmes, or planning remote management from Abidjan or Accra. Source: FCDO Burkina Faso travel advice (2026); US State Dept Burkina Faso Level 4 advisory (2026).
For remote monitoring from regional hubs, Abidjan and Accra are the primary staging bases for Burkina Faso programme management under current conditions.
What does this cover in Ouagadougou?
Extreme Risk Advisory: FCDO Against All Travel
The FCDO advises against all travel to Burkina Faso, including Ouagadougou, as of 2026. The US State Department classifies Burkina Faso at Level 4 (Do Not Travel). Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State Sahel Province have conducted multiple terrorist attacks in Ouagadougou. The 2022 military coups have left Captain Ibrahim Traore's MPSR junta in control, with a degraded private security regulatory framework. Under these conditions, maintaining an expatriate residential programme in Ouagadougou is not advisable. This page provides risk context for organisations monitoring the situation. Source: FCDO Burkina Faso travel advice (2026); US State Dept Burkina Faso Level 4 advisory (2026).
Historical Context for Organisations Winding Down
For international organisations that previously maintained expatriate residential programmes in Ouagadougou and are now managing wind-down, the primary security considerations are safe departure of remaining personnel, secure disposal of sensitive materials, property and lease management from a remote base, and liaison with the military junta's relevant ministries for any regulatory requirements. Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire and Accra in Ghana are the standard remote management bases for remaining Burkina Faso programme assets.
Private Security Regulatory Framework Under Junta
Burkina Faso's formal private security regulatory framework has been significantly disrupted by the 2022 military coups and the deteriorating security situation. Any remaining private security providers must hold authorisation under the junta's current regulatory environment; the standard pre-coup framework cannot be assumed to apply in the same form. Residential security for any essential remaining presence in Ouagadougou must be arranged through specialist Sahel conflict-environment operators with current junta relationship management capabilities.
Emergency Evacuation Planning
For any organisation with essential remaining personnel in Ouagadougou, emergency evacuation planning is the priority residential security element. Evacuation options include departure via Ouagadougou International Airport (OUA) when commercial or charter flights are available, overland routes to Abidjan via La Leraba or Kafolo crossings, or overland to Accra via the Paga or Hamale crossings. Flight availability from OUA has been intermittent under the junta. Evacuation plans must be current and rehearsed. Embassy emergency contacts should be confirmed; some embassies have reduced or suspended Ouagadougou operations.
Remote Management from Abidjan or Accra
The appropriate residential security posture for most organisations with Burkina Faso interests is remote management from Abidjan or Accra, with no expatriate residential presence in Ouagadougou. Risk assessment, programme monitoring, asset management, and limited site visits by specialist operators are the appropriate model under current conditions. This approach avoids the unsupportable residential security risk in Ouagadougou while maintaining operational engagement with Burkina Faso programmes.
Gold Mining Sector Considerations
International gold mining companies with Burkina Faso operations -- including Endeavour Mining and Nordgold -- have largely evacuated non-essential expatriate personnel since 2022. Any remaining expatriate operational personnel at mine sites face risks that compound the Ouagadougou context: active JNIM and IS Sahel Province activity in mine site areas, supply route disruptions, and junta regulatory requirements for continued operations. Mine site residential security is assessed separately as a high-threat rural conflict environment requiring specialist Sahel operators. Source: FCDO Burkina Faso travel advice (2026).
Sources for this page
Licensing, firearms and foreign-operator rules for Ouagadougou, checked : Académie de Police du Burkina Faso, private security downloads: Décret 2021-1243 portant réglementation des activités des sociétés privées de sécurité au Burkina Faso, and Décret 2009-343; Council of Ministers report of 27 October 2021 (copy on Benin Web TV): decree regulating private security companies, Ministry of Security; Private Security Observatory (DCAF), Etude de référence sur le secteur de la sécurité privée au Burkina Faso (2022), pages 12 and 36 to 39. The full rules are on our Ouagadougou security overview.
Travel advice quoted on this page: FCDO travel advice: Burkina Faso; US State Department travel advisory: Burkina Faso. Advice changes; read the current version before travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an expatriate residential programme be maintained in Ouagadougou?
What are the evacuation options from Ouagadougou?
Which city serves as the remote management base for Burkina Faso programmes?
How has the 2022 military junta affected residential security planning in Ouagadougou?
This page is published by CloseProtectionHire.com and written to editorial standards overseen by James Calloway, Senior Security Consultant (regulation, licensing, vetting and risk frameworks) and Marcus Webb, Security Operations Adviser (operational close protection, secure transport and city-specific safety).
Threat, regulatory and emergency information is sourced to named, dated authorities such as the FCDO, the US State Department and national licensing bodies. Last updated . See how we verify.