Burkina Faso mandates 80 % direct field spending for NGOs
The Burkinabè government presents its new NGO regulation as a measure for transparency and efficiency. Adopted on 24 September 2026 under the presidency of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, it obliges NGOs to devote at least 80 % of their resources to direct investments in the field.
The principle appears straightforward: cut administrative costs so that more money reaches the populations. That logic, however, warrants scrutiny.
A percentage cannot measure effectiveness
An NGO does not operate on equipment and infrastructure alone. It must fund accounting, audits, logistics, project monitoring and staff training.
These expenses can be indispensable. An auditor does not build a health centre, but can prevent fraud. A logistician does not treat a patient, but ensures that materials arrive at their destination.
Reducing these functions to meet an imposed ratio could therefore weaken control mechanisms.
The unclear boundaries of “direct investment”
This is one of the main questions left open by the measure. Constructing a health centre is easily identifiable. But what about the salaries of the staff working there? Maintenance? Training? Transport of materials? Follow-up with beneficiaries?
Without a precise definition, applying the threshold can become complex. The government must therefore clearly explain what falls within the 80 % and what is excluded.
One rule for different missions
Not all NGOs follow the same model. An organisation that builds schools will naturally have more material expenses. Another, specialising in training, legal assistance or social protection, will invest mainly in human skills.
Applying the same ratio to all risks penalising certain activities without demonstrating that they are less useful.
The risk of perverse effects
An organisation unable to reach 80 % could be pushed to artificially alter its budget. It might cut control posts or favour expenses easily classified as “direct”.
Yet spending more in the field does not automatically yield more results. Effectiveness must be measured by impact: number of beneficiaries, quality of services, cost of interventions, results obtained and sustainability of projects.
Other ways to strengthen oversight
If the objective is truly to protect funding, the government has other means: independent audits, publication of accounts, traceability of funds, project controls and sanctions in case of misappropriation.
These mechanisms verify the actual use of resources. The 80 % threshold mainly measures their distribution.
A decision that must prove itself
The government of Ibrahim Traoré can legitimately demand greater transparency from NGOs. But a percentage guarantees neither good management nor efficiency.
The real question will be simple: will this rule concretely improve the aid delivered to populations, or will it force certain organisations to change how they operate solely to comply with an administrative ratio?
The result must be assessed on the facts. For in an NGO, an expense that is not visible in the field may sometimes be precisely what ensures that the money arrives there.
