New Telecom Regulation in Burundi Enhances Market Control

The Republic of Burundi is a landlocked country in East Africa with a population of over 14 million people. It is bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and southeast, and the D.R. Congo to the west, while the big Lake Tanganyika lies along its southwestern border. The political capital is Gitega and the economic capital is Bujumbura.

The Burundi telecommunication authority is the ARCT (The Agence de Régulation et de Contrôle des Télécommunications) which has now announced the entry into force of Ordinance No. 580/01 dated 17 April 2025, that governs the management of radioelectric equipment and terminals connectable to public networks.
This new regulation aims to modernize Burundi’s telecommunication market and strengthen control over the import, certification, and distribution of electronic communications equipment such as phones, tablets, and modems.

Some key points in the new regulation:
- Protection of the market and the users

• Combat counterfeit and substandard equipment on the national market
• Ensure user health and safety
• Prevent mobile device theft and trafficking
• Promote fair competition and high-quality telecom services

- New requirements for importers, vendors and distributors

• Importing, selling, or distributing non-homologated radio equipment is prohibited
• All imports require prior import authorization issued by ARCT
• Sales activities require a vendor certificate issued by ARCT
• Certification applicants other than the manufacturer (e.g., vendors or end users) must obtain an authorization from ARCT

Failure to comply may lead to regulatory sanctions, including fines or bans on market access.
The Ordinance No. 580/01 may be seen in full here, and ARCT’s certification procedure is available at this link.

For further information and/or assistance with certification for Burundi or other African countries, please contactGeremy.Bradshaw@nemko.com

(This article is based on the information provided by CERTA Global Consulting; edited by T.Sollie)