Ouagadougou: The Ministry of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism (MCCAT) has officially launched the "ZAMA D'OR," a national excellence competition in communication and advertising. The announcement was made during a press conference led by the Secretary General of MCCAT, B¨tamou Fid¨le Aymar TAMINI, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. This initiative aims to establish a national framework for recognizing and promoting excellence in the communication and advertising professions.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the Secretary-General highlighted the professionalism and commitment of those involved in the communication and advertising sectors. He reiterated that communication serves as a strategic lever for citizen mobilization and development, especially in the current context of national recovery and resilience. The "ZAMA D'OR" competition is designed to promote healthy competition among professionals, encourage best practices, and showcase productions that embody civic, cultural, and indigenous values.
The competition's name, "ZAMA," pays homage to Burkina Faso's first advertising company, renowned for its quality work. The ministry hopes to place this new distinction within the continuity of Burkinabe communication history. The competition is open to legally recognized communication agencies and professionals from public administrations, semi-public organizations, and private companies. Eligible works must have been produced and disseminated between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
Applications for the competition will be accepted from July 20 to August 3, 2026, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., at the Directorate General of Communication and Media (DGCM) in Ouagadougou. Submissions for online press and social media should be sent to [email protected]. To ensure the competition's credibility, independent juries will be formed, and no distinction will be awarded to works scoring below 14/20. Winners will be celebrated on October 9, 2026, during "The Night of the Communicator," organized alongside the African Universities of Communication of Ouagadougou (UACO), scheduled for October 7 to 9, 2026.
In response to journalists' questions, the Secretary General noted that "ZAMA D'OR" marks the relaunch of an award dedicated exclusively to communication professions, with a specific organization and juries composed of industry professionals. He also mentioned that partners could support the ministry, particularly in financing special prizes.
The press conference also included a presentation of the competition's visual identity and slogan by the Director General of Communication and Media, Comrade Salifou OUARMA. Media professionals were invited to actively promote the "ZAMA D'OR" and help mobilize stakeholders in the sector.