Publication

Promoting SME Competitiveness in Burkina Faso: Resilient foundations for post-COVID recovery

Boosting the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in Burkina Faso can make them more resilient to crises, ITC’s SME Competitiveness Survey and COVID-19 Business Impact Surveys find. 

Limited access to finance, low certification rates and inadequate infrastructure are stumbling blocks most cited by Burkinabe firms. In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, one third of Burkinabe respondents said that without government assistance they might have to close down within six months of the interview. However, Burkinabe businesses with better management practices, stronger connections, and greater ability to innovate fared better during the COVID-19 crisis. Nurturing these characteristics could lay the foundations for competitiveness and resilience.