List of Burkinabes
This is a list of notable people from Burkina Faso, formerly French Upper Volta.
Actors
- Philomaine Nanema, aka Philo, comedian and actress
- Roukiata Ouedraogo, playwright and actress
Filmmakers
- Sarah Bouyain, French-Burkinabé film director
- Gaston Kaboré, film director
- Fanta Régina Nacro, film director
- Idrissa Ouedraogo, film and television director whose films include Yaaba
- Pierre Rouamba
Politicians
- Boureima Badini, Minister of Justice from 1999 to 2007
- Laurent Bado, member of the National Rebirth Party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Ali Barraud, Minister of Public Health and Population for Upper Volta
- Djibril Bassolé, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation from June 2007
- Blaise Bassoleth, member of the French Senate from 1958 to 1959
- Juliette Bonkoungou, Burkinabé ambassador to Canada
- Blaise Compaoré, President of Burkina Faso from 1987
- Simon Compaoré, Mayor of Ouagadougou
- Joseph Conombo, President of Upper Volta from 1978 to 1980
- Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly, president of governing council of Upper Volta from 1957 to 1958
- Toubé Clément Dakio, member of the Union for Democracy and Development party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Noellie Marie Béatri Damiba, journalist and diplomat
- Bernadette Sanou Dao, Burkinabé Minister for Culture from 1986 to 1987
- Frédéric Guirma, politician, head of the RDA and 2001 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Emile Ilboudo, ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire
- Nayabtigungu Congo Kaboré, leader of the Movement for Tolerance and Progress party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso
- Michel Kafando, Burkinabé ambassador to the United Nations
- Joseph Ki-Zerbo, politician, historian, writer and activist
- Begnon-Damien Kone, member of the French Senate from 1958 to 1959
- Lompolo Koné, Foreign Minister of Upper Volta from 1961 to 1966
- Yabre Juliette Kongo, member of National Assemblu
- Zakalia Koté, Minister of Justice from 2007 to 2011
- Sangoulé Lamizana, President of Upper Volta from 1966 to 1980
- Ali Lankoandé, member of the Party for Democracy and Progress / Socialist Party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Ablassé Ouedraogo, Regional Adviser for Africa within the African Development Bank and former foreign minister for Burkina Faso
- Gérard Kango Ouédraogo, Prime Minister for Upper Volta from 1971 to 1974
- Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo, member of the Pan-African Parliament
- Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo, President of Upper Volta from 1982 to 1983
- Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso from 1996 to 2000, Burkinabé ambassador to the United Kingdom
- Philippe Ouédraogo, leader of the African Independence Party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Ram Ouédraogo, member of the Rally of the Democrats of Burkina party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Youssouf Ouédraogo, first Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, serving from 1992 to 1994
- Pargui Emile Paré, member of the People's Movement for Socialism/Federal Party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Bouri Sanhouidi, diplomat
- Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara, president of the Union for Rebirth / Sankarist Movement party and 2005 Burkina Faso presidential candidate
- Thomas Sankara, first President of Burkina Faso serving from 1984 to 1987, also president of Upper Volta from 1983 to 1984
- Thomas Sanon, businessman, politician, diplomat
- Clément Sawadogo, Minister of the Civil Service, Labour and Social Security
- Marie Blandine Sawadogo, member of the Pan African Parliament
- Salimata Sawadogo, Burkinabé ambassador to several African countries
- Laurent Sedego, former military officer and cabinet member
- Nouhoun Sigue, member of the French Senate from 1948 to 1952
- Diongolo Traore, member of the French Senate from 1952 to 1958
- Hermann Yaméogo, leader of the National Union for the Defence of Democracy party
- Maurice Yaméogo, first President of Upper Volta, serving from 1983 to 1984
- Salvador Yaméogo, Minister of Transportation and Tourism
- Oubkiri Marc Yao, member of the Pan African Parliament
- Larba Yarga, member of the Pan African Parliament
- Paramanga Ernest Yonli, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso from 2000 to 2007
- Marlène Zebango, Minister for Youth and Sports from 1991 to 1993
- Saye Zerbo, President of Upper Volta from 1980 to 1982
- Tertius Zongo, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso from June 2007
- Alain Zoubga, medical doctor and leader of the Party for Democracy and Progress / Socialist Party
Sportspeople
- Joris Bado, basketball player
- Oumar Barro, sluo player
- Tanguy Barro, soccer player
- Abdoulaye Cissé, soccer player
- Brahima Cissé, soccer player
- Daouda Compaoré, soccer player
- Henoc Conombo, soccer player
- Amadou Coulibaly, soccer player
- Moumouni Dagano, soccer player
- Maxime D'Hoore, soccer player
- Mohamed Ali Diallo, soccer player
- Salif Dianda, soccer player
- Madou Dossama, soccer player
- Ibrahim Gnanou, former soccer player
- Jean-Michel Liade Gnonka, soccer player
- Abdoul Aziz Kaboré, soccer player
- Mohamed Kaboré, DAVE
- Bèbè Kambou, soccer player
- Pascal Karama, soccer player
- Mahamoudou Kéré, soccer player
- Nathanio Kompaoré, soccer player
- Yssouf Koné, soccer player
- Brahima Korbeogo, soccer player
- Pierre Koulibaly, soccer player
- Moustapha Kourouma, soccer player
- Dieudonné Minoungou, soccer player
- Toussaint Natama, soccer player
- Abdoul-Aziz Nikiema, soccer player
- Amara Ahmed Ouattara, soccer player
- Boureima Ouattara, soccer player
- Dango Ouattara, soccer player
- Moussa Ouattara, soccer player
- Ali Ouédraogo, soccer player
- Rabaki Jérémie Ouédraogo, road racing cyclist
- Rahim Ouédraogo, soccer player
- Saïdou Panandétiguiri, soccer player
- Jonathan Pitroipa, soccer player
- Florent Rouamba, soccer player
- Firmin Sanou, soccer player
- Idrissa Sanou, sprinter
- Olivier Sanou, high jumper and triple jumper
- Abroubagui Salbre, soccer player
- Ousmane Sanou, soccer player
- Wilfried Sanou, soccer player
- Cheick Sanou, Strongman
- Abdoulaye Soulama, soccer player
- Amadou Tidiane Tall, soccer player
- Mamadou Tall, soccer player
- Edmond Tapsoba, soccer player
- Soumaila Tassembedo, soccer player
- Amadou Touré, soccer player
- Alain Traoré, soccer player
- Bertrand Traoré, soccer player
- Lamine Traoré, soccer player
- Ousmane Traoré, soccer player
- Seydou Traoré, soccer player
- Narcisse Yaméogo, soccer player
- Franck Zio, long jumper
- Issa Zongo, soccer player
- Mamadou Zongo, soccer player
- Patrick Zoundi, soccer player
Writers
''See: List of Burkinabé writers''Others
- Georgie Badiel, model, beauty queen, activist and author
- Fatouma Bintou Djibo, United Nations representative in Niger
- Marie Odile Bonkoungou-Balima, former Minister for Education and ambassador to Germany
- Minata Samaté Cessouma, diplomat
- Chantal Compaoré, wife of Burkinabé President Blaise Compaoré
- Gabin Dabiré, musician
- Christine Kafando, HIV/AIDS activist
- Diébédo Francis Kéré, architect and founding principal of Kéré Architecture
- Bil Aka Kora, musician
- Mogho Naba, King of the Mossi people
- Philippe Ouédraogo (cardinal)
- Aminata Savadogo, singer
- Yennenga, legendary African princess, mother of the Mossi people
- Henri Zongo, military officer involved in the 1987 coup d'état in Burkina Faso
- Ousmane Zongo, arts trader killed by American police officers in New York City
- Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
- Hamidou Toure, mathematician who has played a significant role in the development of mathematics programs in Burkina Faso, from the pre-school level to university level.