Key facts
Key facts for business in Burundi
The short answer
Company registry in Burundi: Guichet Unique de création de sociétés (Agence de Développement du Burundi). Tax authority: Office Burundais des Recettes (OBR). Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Burundi before you act.
| Legal system | Civil law (with customary law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Kirundi, French, English |
| Currency | Burundian franc (BIF) |
| Regional blocs | East African Community, COMESA, ECCAS |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Ratified (instrument deposited) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Party – in force since 2014 |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1969 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Party – in force since 13 Feb 2015 |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in Burundi
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | Guichet Unique de création de sociétés (Agence de Développement du Burundi) | investburundi.bi |
| Investment promotion | Agence de Développement du Burundi (ADB) – Burundi Development Agency | investburundi.bi |
| Tax | Office Burundais des Recettes (OBR) – Burundi Revenue Authority | obr.bi |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Banque de la République du Burundi (BRB) – Bank of the Republic of Burundi | brb.bi |
| Justice ministry (no court website found) | Ministère de la Justice, des Droits de la Personne Humaine et du Genre – Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Gender | justice.gov.bi |
We could not confirm an official website for: work and residence permits. We only link to sites we could open and confirm as the body’s own in October 2026.
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by national company law.
- Register the business. Company registration: Guichet Unique de création de sociétés (Agence de Développement du Burundi).
- Register for tax. Tax registration: Office Burundais des Recettes (OBR).
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Agence de Développement du Burundi (ADB).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: the national immigration authority.
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Banque de la République du Burundi (BRB)) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Burundi is a party to the New York Convention, so arbitral awards made in other member states can be recognized there under it.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in Burundi for business matters
BAPA Advocates (Bapadvocates)
Bujumbura
KTA Advocates Burundi
Bujumbura
Ndikumasabo & Associés
Bujumbura
3 firms in Burundi list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Burundi.
Checking a lawyer in Burundi
Who admits lawyers: Barreau de Bujumbura (Burundi Bar Association) and the Barreau près la Cour d'Appel de Gitega
Professional title: Avocat
Contact the Barreau de Bujumbura secretariat ([email protected]) or the Gitega bar to confirm the lawyer is on the bar's tableau.
We could not confirm every detail from official sources, so use this as a starting point.
Sources: bba.bi, en.wikipedia.org. Checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
Doing business in Burundi: questions
Where do you register a company in Burundi?
With Guichet Unique de création de sociétés (Agence de Développement du Burundi) (investburundi.bi). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in Burundi.
Is Burundi a party to the New York Convention?
Yes – in force since 2014 (UNCITRAL status table, checked October 2026).
Does Burundi accept apostilles?
Yes – Burundi is a party to the Apostille Convention, in force since 13 Feb 2015 (HCCH status table). A public document from another member state needs only an apostille from the issuing country.
What currency is used in Burundi?
Burundian franc (BIF).