Burkina Faso ECTN Certificate — The Complete Guide
How the Burkina Faso ECTN certificate works: issuing authority, required documents, application process, timeline and the rules that apply.
This guide covers the ECTN certificate for shipments to Burkina Faso — who issues it, which documents it needs, how the application runs and what the validation rules are. For the country procedure page, see Burkina Faso ECTN.
Overview
The ECTN — Electronic Cargo Tracking Note — is the cargo tracking certificate required for shipments to Burkina Faso. Requirement status: Mandatory.
Sample ECTN certificate
A Burkina Faso ECTN we filed, with the customer fields masked. Use it to check the layout, where the authority stamp sits and where the reference number is printed.
Discharge ports
- Lomé (Togo)
- Cotonou (Benin)
Required documents
- Bill of Lading (ECTN Reference Number must be written on it)
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice (not required if the freight value is stated on the commercial invoice)
- Pink Slip / Grey Slip (for RoRo shipments)
Application process
1. Send your documents
Share PDF copies of the required documents via sck@scktr.com, or upload them through the application form. There is no need to send hard copies for the issuance of ECTN certificates.
2. Draft is prepared
Once complete, consistent documents arrive, a draft is prepared for your confirmation. A file specialist checks the shipment details against the documents before anything is filed.
3. Confirm the draft
Check every field on the draft — consignee, ports, weights, values and container references. Final documents must be submitted without further amendments; corrections after validation are charged separately.
4. Filing and validation
The confirmed file is submitted to the issuing authority for validation. The ECTN number is issued at validation, so it cannot be shown on documents prepared before that point.
5. Certificate delivered
The validated certificate is sent to you and can accompany the cargo to the destination port.
Timeline
- Processing time: Generally a few days; up to one week should be expected for planning purposes.
The exact cut-off depends on the destination and the vessel schedule; confirm the deadline for your shipment with our team before filing.
Special rules
Validation deadline. The certificate must be issued and validated before shipment; since 20 April 2023 the ECTN Reference Number must also be written on the Bill of Lading.
Non-compliance. Amendments made after validation may result in penalty charges.
Frequently asked questions
If the shipment is in transit to Burkina Faso via another country, is an additional certificate required?
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country, so it depends on the discharge port. If the discharge port is Lomé (Togo) or Cotonou (Benin), two certificates are required. If the shipment is in transit via Ghana or Ivory Coast, no additional certificate is required.
If the shipment travels from Ivory Coast to Burkina Faso, do two ECTN certificates apply?
No. Only a Burkina Faso ECTN certificate is required for shipments traveling through Ivory Coast.
If the shipment is in transit through Ghana to Burkina Faso, is an ECTN required for Ghana?
No. Due to the suspension of the Ghana ECTN, shipments transiting through Ghana only require a Burkina Faso ECTN certificate.
Can the same ECTN number be used for multiple shipments?
No. Each ECTN number is unique and applies to one shipment only. Every shipment must have its own individually verified ECTN number.
Ready to file? Apply for a ECTN certificate or go back to the Burkina Faso ECTN procedure page. All country guides: Country guides.