How should a person classify a legal problem in Burkina Faso among labour, immigration, criminal, consumer and civil law?

A workplace dispute usually belongs to labour law, an entry or residence matter to immigration law, an alleged offence to criminal law, a problem with goods or services to consumer protection, and a private dispute about contracts, property, family or inheritance to civil law. The classification identifies the relevant rules and the authority or procedure that may apply.

Which authorities may handle a legal matter in Burkina Faso across the main areas of law?

The responsible body depends on the issue. Possible institutions include ministries, migration and border services, police, gendarmerie, prosecutors, courts, civil-status offices, notaries, bailiffs, land administrations and sector-specific complaint channels.

Law in Burkina Faso

Law in Burkina Faso sets rules for relationships between people, companies, workers, public authorities and institutions. Its main areas include labour law, immigration law, criminal law, consumer protection and civil law. The applicable rules, authority and procedure depend on the type of problem.

bySalimata&Abdoulaye

Labor law

The Labour Code regulates dependent work for remuneration in Burkina Faso. It covers contracts, working time, wages, protection, representation, disputes and termination. More than nine out of ten jobs are informal.

Immigration law

Burkina Faso’s immigration law regulates entry, visas, residence, work, study, family migration, protection, permanent residence, nationality, refusal and legal remedies. Loi n°001-2024/ALT of 22 February 2024, promulgated on 12 March 2024, replaced Ordonnance 84-049, while Décret n°2025-0288 of 13 March 2025 provides implementation rules. The Ministry of Security and its border-police and migration divisions handle ordinary migration matters, while other authorities handle diplomacy, nationality, residence cards and employment. A visa or residence permission does not automatically authorize employment, and regional movement, asylum and nationality follow separate conditions.

Criminal law

Criminal law in Burkina Faso defines offences, regulates investigations and trials, and determines the rights of suspects, accused persons, victims and convicted persons. The main legal bases are the Code pénal of 2018 and the Code de procédure pénale promulgated in 2025. Police, gendarmerie, prosecutors and criminal courts handle cases under rules that vary according to the offence and the circumstances.

Consumer protection

Consumer protection in Burkina Faso is based on general rules and sector-specific complaint channels. Loi n°016-2017/AN prohibits misleading advertising, counterfeit goods, tying sales and unjustified refusal to sell, while requiring relevant price, product and warranty information. The competent channel depends on whether the dispute concerns ordinary purchases, finance, telecommunications, energy, health products, travel or fraud.

Civil law

Civil law in Burkina Faso governs private relationships involving people, families, contracts, property, inheritance, liability, court proceedings and debt enforcement. The system combines national legislation, OHADA business rules and legally recognised traditional dispute resolution. Key authorities include civil-status offices, notaries, bailiffs, land administrations, the Tribunal de grande instance and higher courts.

Labour law regulates dependent work for remuneration, including contracts, working time, wages, representation, disputes and termination. Immigration law covers entry, visas, residence, work, study, family migration, protection, permanent residence, nationality and legal remedies; a visa or residence permission does not automatically authorize employment. Criminal law defines offences, governs investigations and trials, and protects the rights of suspects, accused persons, victims and convicted persons. Consumer protection addresses misleading advertising, counterfeit goods, tying sales, unjustified refusal to sell and required price, product and warranty information. Civil law governs private relationships involving families, contracts, property, inheritance, liability, court proceedings and debt enforcement. Some business matters also involve OHADA rules, while legally recognised traditional dispute resolution can apply in civil matters. Authorities vary by subject and may include ministries, border and migration services, police, gendarmerie, prosecutors, courts, civil-status offices, notaries, bailiffs, land administrations and sector-specific complaint bodies. A workplace dispute, visa problem, criminal accusation, defective purchase and inheritance dispute therefore require different rules, documents and procedures.

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