Who runs local government in Burkina Faso?
On paper, Burkina Faso has two levels of elected local government: regions and communes (351 communes in 2022). In practice, all elected municipal and regional councils were dissolved by the military authorities in February 2022 and replaced by appointed 'special delegations', which still ran communes in 2026. Governors, high commissioners and prefects are appointed by the state. Customary chiefs, such as the Mogho Naaba of the Mossi, are recognised in the constitution's preamble as moral authorities but hold no legal office.
Burkina Faso · Unitary republic under a military-led transition · Western Africa
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Regions (17 since the July 2025 reorganisation; 13 before) | Governor appointed by central government; the elected regional council has been replaced by an appointed special delegation since 2022 | Both a state administrative area and, in law, a local government for planning and development. |
| Provinces (47) | High commissioner appointed by central government | State administration only. |
| Departments (about 350) / Communes (351 in 2022: 49 urban, 302 rural) | Prefect appointed for each department; communes normally have an elected council that elects the mayor, but are now run by appointed special delegations | Communes provide basic services such as primary schools, health centres and markets. Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso have special status and are split into arrondissements. |
Three questions about local power in Burkina Faso
Are local leaders elected?
In law, councillors are elected and choose the mayor and regional president. Since February 2022 no elected councils have sat; special delegations are appointed by the state. Governors, high commissioners and prefects are always appointed.
Which laws set up local government?
The General Code of Local Authorities (Law 055-2004) sets out communes and regions. Customary chiefs are recognised only as moral authorities in the constitution's preamble and work by custom.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Special delegations answer to the governors and the Ministry of Territorial Administration, not to voters. Chiefs answer to custom and their communities.
Traditional and customary authority
The 2015 constitution's preamble recognises 'customary and traditional leadership as a moral authority' that holds customs and traditions. Chiefs such as the Mogho Naaba (king of the Mossi in Ouagadougou) and village chiefs are widely consulted on land, marriage and disputes, and are often called on to mediate in political crises. They are not part of the formal local government structure and the constitution does not give them power to make laws or judge cases. Islamic, Christian and traditional religious leaders also act as mediators.
Community and neighbourhood power
Villages normally have village development councils (CVD), set up under local government rules, which link villagers with the commune on projects such as wells and schools. Since 2020, and on a much larger scale since 2022, the state has also recruited armed civilian Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) in many communities, which gives local defence a formal but state-controlled structure.
Points to know
- A decree of 1 February 2022 ended the mandates of all elected local councils and put special delegations in their place; delegations were installed in mid-2022 (Ouagadougou's in June 2022).
- In July 2025 the Council of Ministers redrew the map, raising regions from 13 to 17 and provinces from 45 to 47, and giving many regions local-language names; the stated reason was security.
- Before 2022, mayors were elected indirectly: voters chose councillors, and councillors chose the mayor.
- Burkina Faso's head of state is the transitional president; in 2024 the transition was extended for five years from July 2024.
Local terms
- Délégation spéciale
- Special delegation: an appointed body that runs a commune or region in place of the elected council.
- Mogho Naaba
- The king of the Mossi people, based in Ouagadougou; a customary, not legal, authority.
- CVD
- Conseil villageois de développement: a village development council linking villagers with the commune.
Sources
- Constitution of Burkina Faso 1991 (rev. 2015), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Burkina Faso: country profile (subnational government structure and finance, 2022 edition), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
- Administration du territoire : le Burkina Faso réorganisé en 47 provinces et 17 régions (Council of Ministers communiqué, 2 July 2025), Sidwaya (state-owned national daily), checked 14 October 2026
See also: Burkina Faso's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.