Communication in Burundi

Burundi uses several communication channels in parallel. In-person conversations, telephone calls, SMS and mobile messaging reach most people more quickly than landline or online-only services. Postal services and digital government offerings provide formal channels, while language assistance in personal contact is usually arranged informally. Uniform nationwide rules for everyday forms of conversation are not sufficiently documented; access and comprehensibility depend heavily on location, language skills, literacy and technical equipment. Kirundi is the national language. Under Law No. 1/31 of November 3, 2014 (Loi N°1/31 du 3 novembre 2014), Kirundi, French and English are official languages. Kiswahili serves as an additional communication language, especially in regional contacts. Laws, the justice system and administration use the three official languages. Public notices and signs should be understandable in the national language and/or an official language. Kirundi is used at public meetings and in national addresses. In court, an affected person may choose an official language and request a translation; the practical availability of interpreters has not been verified nationwide. Mobile services are available from ECONET LEO, VIETTEL Burundi and ONATEL. The international dialing code is +257, and national telephone numbers have eight digits. On December 31, 2024, there were 8,473,251 mobile subscriptions, corresponding to mobile penetration of 64.7 percent. In the second quarter of 2025, the number rose to 8,757,033 subscriptions. Prepaid was the predominant tariff model, accounting for 70.96 percent of subscriptions; postpaid accounted for 0.05 percent. ONATEL offers wired fixed-line service, while VIETTEL also offers wireless fixed-line service. At the end of 2024, there were 14,018 fixed-line subscriptions, corresponding to penetration of 0.11 percent. The Telecommunications Regulation and Control Agency (Agence de Régulation et de Contrôle des Télécommunications, ARCT) supervises the telecommunications sector. It approves tariffs and publishes information on numbering, consumer rights, forms and market statistics. Ordinance No. 540/906/2026 (Ordonnance N°540/906/2026) regulates the registration and use of SIM cards. A framework for service and user quality was enacted on February 12, 2026. Prices, network quality and available packages nevertheless differ by provider, location and tariff and should be checked for current information before purchase. Internet access remains more restricted than basic mobile coverage. In 2024, there were 3,405,209 internet subscriptions and penetration of 26 percent, including 3,402,340 mobile and 2,869 fixed subscriptions. In the second quarter of 2025, 3,604,455 mobile and 4,853 fixed subscriptions were reported, with penetration of 29.265 percent. Population coverage in 2024 was 96.8 percent for 2G, 50.6 percent for 3G and 32.18 percent for 4G; geographic coverage was reported as 92.10 percent for 2G, 38.12 percent for 3G and 15.60 percent for 4G. BBS, ONATEL and VIETTEL operate fiber-optic services; the ARCT reports nationwide fiber-optic coverage. In the second quarter of 2025, CBINET, SPIDERNET, USAN, LAMIWIRELESS, NT GLOBAL, BBS and STARLINK were licensed internet providers. NT GLOBAL and STARLINK offer satellite-based access. The Executive Secretariat for Information and Communication Technologies (Secrétariat Exécutif des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication, SETIC) coordinates public information and communication technology, hosting, network operations centers, cybersecurity and e-government projects. The National Postal Authority (Régie Nationale des Postes, RNP) is responsible for the national postal service. It offers domestic and international letters, domestic and international parcels, EMS, stamps, personal or business post office boxes and tracking. RNP maintains local agencies in the provinces; delivery, collection, price and transit time depend on the service, destination and shipment. Current tariffs should be checked directly with RNP. RNP publishes rnp@poste-burundi.bi and +257 66 438 190 as contact channels. Government communication exists formally but is distributed across several bodies. The ARCT publishes regulatory information and accepts telecommunications complaints or inquiries through the free short code 151. SETIC is responsible for public technical infrastructure. Ministries and other state bodies provide institutional contact details through their official websites. Depending on the matter, the process may lead from the provider to the ARCT, through an available online portal or, alternatively, in person and by post; there is no documented single nationwide citizen portal for all communication matters. Law No. 1/03 of January 10, 2018 (Loi N°1/03 du 10 janvier 2018) promotes and protects the rights of people with disabilities. The reviewed official sources do not document a uniform nationwide framework for accessible government communication, sign-language interpreting, Braille, screen-reader formats or relay services. Practical accessibility therefore probably depends on the individual institution and its available resources; this uncertainty should be explicitly checked for a specific matter. For problems with telephone or internet services, the provider should be contacted first. A complaint to the ARCT should describe the provider, service, date, specific fault or billing issue and available evidence. Invoices, SMS messages, contracts and conversation notes help with follow-up. In addition to the free number 151, the ARCT identifies suggestion boxes at provider agencies. There is no verified evidence of a general ombuds procedure for postal complaints. Published information on emergency numbers is currently contradictory: on the one hand, 117 is given for the police and 118 for the fire service; on the other hand, 112 is given as a unified number. The currently responsible local authority should therefore be checked before an emergency rather than relying solely on one number. This information reflects the research status as of September 5, 2026.