Burkina Faso's electricity imports fell 40.5% to 18.2bn FCFA (€27.7mn) in the second quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, statistics agency INSD said in its quarterly trade report. Imports of natural and manufactured gas rose 50.5% to 24.8bn FCFA (€37.8mn), the agency said. Refined petroleum products, the largest import line at 28.9% of the total, rose 5.1% to 326.0bn FCFA (€497mn).
Analysis: The fall in electricity imports followed an increase of roughly one-third in the first quarter, leaving first-half purchases 16.7% below the same period last year, by our calculation. INSD did not report electricity volume data, so it is unclear whether the decline reflected lower prices or reduced energy imports. For gas, import volumes increased 31.9% and unit values 14.1%. That suggests purchases rose in both quantity and cost, but does not establish how the gas was used. The next quarterly report, expected around December, may show whether the changes continued.
Source: INSD, https://www.insd.bf/sites/default/files/2026-10/SCE_2T2026.pdf, Q2 2026 and Q2 2025 and H1 2026; INSD, INSD, Note trimestrielle sur les statistiques du commerce extérieur, 1er trimestre 2026 (cover dated June 2026, posted September 2026), Q1 2026 and Q1 2025