Burkina Faso has officially inaugurated its first-ever virtual digital fair, Faso Digital, a groundbreaking event dedicated to showcasing the nation's digital innovation and technological talent. The fair, launched on October 18, 2025, in Ouagadougou, takes place entirely online through an immersive and interactive platform developed by LeFaso.net, the pioneer of online media in the country.
Under the theme "Innovating to Rebuild: Digital Technology at the Service of a Resilient Burkina Faso," Faso Digital 2025 aims to strengthen the country's digital ecosystem and highlight the creativity of Burkinabe innovators. Speaking at the opening, Dr. Cyriaque Pare, founder of LeFaso.net and initiator of the event, underscored that digital transformation is no longer optional but a national necessity. He described the fair as a platform designed to promote homegrown digital solutions, encourage collaboration, and foster a culture of innovation among entrepreneurs, researchers, institutions, and the diaspora.
Dr. Pare emphasized that digital technology must be recognized as a driver of national resilience and economic growth. However, he lamented the limited investment in the sector, humorously noting that while the digital economy is one of the world's most profitable industries, many Burkinabe investors still fail to grasp its potential. "The richest people today are not in oil or diamonds," he remarked, "but in digital technology." He urged financial institutions and private investors to take the digital economy seriously and support local initiatives.
