World Bank Backs Burkina Faso With $120 Million Social Protection Project

The initiative builds on the success of the Burkina Naong Sa Ya ("Ending Poverty") Social Safety Nets Project, which operated from 2014 to 2024.

The World Bank has approved $120 million in financing to help Burkina Faso strengthen its social protection system while creating more economic opportunities for vulnerable communities. The five-year project combines a $100 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) with a $20 million grant from the Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Program, marking a renewed partnership between the World Bank Group and the Government of Burkina Faso in the social protection sector.

The initiative builds on the success of the Burkina Naong Sa Ya ("Ending Poverty") Social Safety Nets Project, which operated from 2014 to 2024. That programme supported more than one million people with social assistance and helped establish a national social registry that now serves as the foundation for identifying and supporting vulnerable households across the country.

Focus on jobs, resilience and women's economic participation

The new Burkina Faso Economic Opportunities for Resilience Project will support the country's National Social Protection Strategy (2024–2028) and its flagship Economic Empowerment Support Program for Poor and Vulnerable Households. Around 120,000 beneficiaries, including internally displaced people and returnees, are expected to benefit from measures designed to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty.

The project will invest in skills development, food security, nutrition and healthcare while helping families gain access to productive assets and financial services. It also places strong emphasis on strengthening women's economic participation, creating better employment opportunities and improving household resilience against climate-related and other economic shocks. These combined investments are intended to strengthen human capital while giving vulnerable households the resources needed to build more stable and sustainable incomes.

Stronger social protection system to improve support delivery

A major part of the programme focuses on making Burkina Faso's social protection system more efficient and responsive. The project will expand the national social registry and improve its integration with other databases, including records for internally displaced persons and health insurance programmes, allowing authorities to identify eligible beneficiaries more accurately and deliver assistance more effectively. The initiative will also strengthen institutional capacity, improve coordination between social programmes and enhance the use of data to guide policy decisions.

World Bank Country Manager for Burkina Faso Hamoud Abdel Wedoud Kamil said the project reflects continued support for the government's efforts to build a more coordinated social protection system while creating more and better jobs. Regional Practice Director Trina Haque added that combining social assistance with investments in education, healthcare, productive assets and financial inclusion can help families improve their lives over the medium and long term.