Moving to Burkina Faso from Nigeria

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Nigeria to Burkina Faso? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Nigeria to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Nigeria to Burkina Faso.

Living there in 2020
5,373 ↑ 4% vs 2015

people born in Nigeria live in Burkina Faso · UN DESA

Who's moving to Burkina Faso?

Top countries of origin for Burkina Faso's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Burkina Faso compared to Nigeria.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NG
17.2
BF
27.8

Nigeria performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NG
$260
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NG
3.9
BF
1.5

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NG
77.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NG
0.6t
BF
0.3t

Nigeria generally does better on environment, though Burkina Faso leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NG
0.0
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NG
9.7%
BF
7.8%

Nigeria generally does better on infrastructure, though Burkina Faso leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NG
3.1%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NG
$5,700
BF
$2,500

Nigeria performs better than Burkina Faso across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NG
61.3 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NG
56.7
BF
49.4

Burkina Faso generally does better on family life, though Nigeria leads in literacy rate.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abuja Rain: 48.1 in/yr (1221 mm)
91° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ouagadougou Rain: 29.3 in/yr (744 mm)
95° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abuja Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Abuja Ouagadougou
Jan 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria and Burkina Faso. To live, work, or study long-term in Burkina Faso, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Burkina Faso's immigration authority.

Nigeria passport

Nigeria passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Free
Nigeria passport holders can enter Burkina Faso without a visa.
Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Nigeria

Visa Free
Burkina Faso passport holders can enter Nigeria without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Burkina Faso?

Connectivity is usually fine (Burkina Faso: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Burkina Faso offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?

Nigeria performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Nigeria?

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 3.9 in Nigeria. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).

What's the weather like in Burkina Faso compared to Nigeria?

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Nigeria, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

NG BF
Population 225,082,083 21,935,389
Currency Nigerian Naira (NGN) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +234 +226
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112