Burkina Faso has secured $300 million to build what will become the country’s largest power plant, marking a significant milestone in its drive to strengthen energy security, reduce dependence on imported electricity and accelerate industrial development.
The financing, provided by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), will support the construction of a 119-megawatt thermal power plant by Türkiye’s Aksa Enerji Üretim A.Ş., one of the country’s leading independent power producers. AFC has already disbursed the first $60 million tranche, marking the institution’s first-ever investment in Burkina Faso. Expected to begin commercial operations in 2027, the facility is projected to reduce Burkina Faso’s electricity imports by more than 50%, significantly improving the country’s energy independence and strengthening the resilience of its national power system.
The project addresses one of Burkina Faso’s most persistent economic constraints. Despite steady economic growth over the years, the country remains heavily dependent on imported electricity, with nearly 60% of its power supply coming from neighbouring countries, particularly Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. That reliance has left households, businesses and industries vulnerable to supply disruptions, rising regional demand and fluctuations in electricity prices. Limited domestic generation has also contributed to one of the lowest electricity access rates in West Africa.
According to the World Bank, only about 20% of Burkina Faso’s population has access to electricity, with rural communities particularly underserved. The shortage has long been cited as a major obstacle to industrialisation, private investment and economic diversification.
Once completed, the new power plant is expected to provide reliable baseload electricity for mines, manufacturing industries, commercial enterprises and households, helping to stabilise supply while supporting the country’s expanding industrial base. The investment also reflects Burkina Faso’s broader economic strategy under its military-led government.
Since joining the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) with Mali and Niger, Burkina Faso has increasingly prioritised projects aimed at strengthening domestic productive capacity and reducing dependence on external partners. Investments in mining, agriculture, infrastructure and energy have become central pillars of that strategy as the three countries seek greater economic self-reliance alongside their evolving geopolitical realignment. Reliable electricity is viewed as fundamental to that ambition.
The mining sector, one of Burkina Faso’s largest export earners, requires stable power to sustain production, while manufacturers have consistently identified unreliable electricity as one of the country’s biggest barriers to competitiveness. For Aksa Enerji, the project further expands its footprint across Africa. The Turkish company already operates power generation projects in several countries and has become an increasingly active investor on the continent. Its partnership with AFC has grown steadily, following a $150 million financing package in 2025 that supported gas-to-power projects in Senegal and Ghana, including a 255-megawatt combined-cycle power plant in Senegal.
The investment also reinforces AFC’s role as one of Africa’s leading infrastructure financiers. Established to address the continent’s infrastructure deficit, the institution has increasingly focused on energy, transport, mining and industrial projects that can unlock long-term economic growth. For Burkina Faso, the significance of the project extends well beyond electricity generation.
Affordable and reliable power underpins virtually every productive sector of the economy, influencing manufacturing output, agricultural processing, mining operations and the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises. As African countries race to expand industrial capacity and capture more value from their natural resources, energy infrastructure is emerging as one of the continent’s most strategic investments.
The latest project in Burkina Faso reflects that reality, demonstrating that strengthening domestic electricity generation is becoming as important to economic sovereignty as developing roads, ports or mineral resources.