Business Corruption

Freedom House 2011 reports that the civil services in Burkina Faso have a mixed reputation, with some sectors being more corrupt than others. However, the customs administration, the report notes, is particularly corrupt. According to African Peer Review Mechanism Burkina Faso 2008, despite the government’s efforts to increase customs and tax incomes, some importers have managed to multiply and subdivide import operations in order to declare less than XOF 3 million worth of import value, and thereby avoid customs duties. The same report also states that several companies have complained about unfair competition coming from other importers who manage to evade customs duties.

According to the World Bank & IFC Doing Business 2012, the number of procedures and the costs involved when companies export and import goods are significantly higher than the regional average. A high number of procedures tend to be conducive to facilitation payments. Indeed, the US Department of State 2011 identifies customs officials as some of the most corrupt public officials in the country.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2012:
- A standard export shipment of goods requires 10 documents and takes 41 days at an average cost of USD 2,412 per container.

- A standard import shipment of goods requires 10 documents and takes 49 days at an average cost of USD 4,030 per container.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011:
- Business leaders give the burden of customs procedures a score of 4.4 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely slow and cumbersome' and 7 being 'rapid and efficient').

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2009:
- Nearly 18% of companies expect to give gifts to obtain import licences.

- Nearly 43% of companies identify customs and trade regulations as a major constraint.

REN-LAC: Rapport 2006 (in French):
- Citizens identify the customs services as the second most corrupt sector in Burkina Faso.