Keypoints:
- Burkina Faso secures financing for a new 119MW thermal power plant
- Project aims to reduce dependence on imported electricity by more than 50 percent by 2027
- Investment is expected to strengthen energy security and support industrial growth
BURKINA Faso has secured financing for its largest-ever power plant, a 119-megawatt thermal facility expected to reduce the country’s dependence on imported electricity by more than 50 percent, improve energy security and support industrial growth when it begins operating in 2027.
The project is backed by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), which has reached financial close and disbursed the first $60m tranche of a $300m corporate loan facility supporting its development by Turkish independent power producer Aksa Enerji Üretim A.Ş.
The investment marks one of Burkina Faso’s most significant energy infrastructure projects in recent years as the country seeks to expand electricity access, reduce reliance on imported power and build a stronger foundation for economic development despite mounting demand and persistent supply shortages.
Burkina Faso tackles chronic electricity shortages
Reliable electricity remains one of Burkina Faso’s biggest development challenges. In a country of about 24 million people, only around one in five residents has access to electricity, among the lowest electrification rates in the world. The challenge comes as continental initiatives such as Mission 300, which has already connected more than 50 million people to electricity across Africa, seek to accelerate electrification across the continent.
The country currently imports about 60 percent of its electricity, leaving households, businesses and industries vulnerable to supply disruptions, regional market volatility and high energy costs. Most of Burkina Faso’s imported electricity is sourced through the West African regional power network, making domestic supply vulnerable to disruptions beyond its borders.
Once operational in 2027, the new facility is expected to reduce electricity imports by more than 50 percent while significantly increasing domestic generation capacity.
By providing dependable baseload electricity throughout the day and night, the plant is expected to improve supply reliability, encourage private investment and support broader industrialisation efforts.
AFC expands investment into Burkina Faso
The financing represents AFC’s first investment in Burkina Faso, extending the pan-African infrastructure financier’s footprint into another strategic West African market.
The transaction builds on AFC’s $150m corporate loan facility provided to Aksa Enerji in 2025 to support utility-scale gas-to-power projects in Senegal and Ghana, including a 255MW combined-cycle gas-fired power station in Senegal designed to utilise domestic natural gas.
According to AFC, the successful execution of those projects demonstrated Aksa’s ability to deliver large-scale power infrastructure across African markets, paving the way for the expanded partnership in Burkina Faso.
‘Africa’s path to industrialisation and global competitiveness by 2050 depends on the infrastructure decisions we make today,’ AFC President and Chief Executive Officer Samaila Zubairu said.
‘Reliable electricity is fundamental to economic transformation.’
Power project supports wider economic ambitions
The project aligns with Burkina Faso’s stated objective of expanding domestic infrastructure and strengthening economic resilience through greater energy self-sufficiency. It also complements Burkina Faso’s recent $224m diaspora bond programme, which was launched to finance strategic investments in energy, transport and industrial development as the government seeks to accelerate economic transformation.
The country’s mining sector, one of the largest contributors to export earnings, relies heavily on dependable electricity to maintain production, while manufacturers and small businesses have long identified unreliable power supplies as a major obstacle to expansion.
Expanding domestic generation capacity is widely regarded as essential for lowering production costs, supporting industrialisation and improving long-term energy security.
Although Burkina Faso has invested in solar energy projects in recent years to expand renewable generation, thermal power continues to play a critical role in the country’s electricity mix. Unlike solar generation, thermal plants can provide continuous baseload electricity regardless of weather conditions, helping to stabilise the grid while supporting growing demand.
The new plant is therefore expected to complement, rather than replace, renewable energy investments as the country works towards a more balanced and resilient electricity system.
Regional significance
The project also reflects a broader trend across the Sahel, where governments are investing in domestic power generation to reduce dependence on imported electricity and strengthen energy security.
Expanding reliable electricity supplies is increasingly viewed as essential to attracting investment, supporting industrialisation and improving economic competitiveness across the region.
For AFC, the transaction reinforces its strategy of partnering with experienced private-sector developers to finance infrastructure that addresses Africa’s longstanding power deficit.
Aksa Enerji Chairman Cemil Kazanci said the project represented an important milestone for the company’s African operations.
‘Burkina Faso represents an important milestone in our long-term commitment to Africa,’ he said.
‘Together with AFC, we are delivering critical energy infrastructure that will strengthen energy security and support economic development.’
What happens next?
Construction of the 119MW facility will continue ahead of its planned commissioning in 2027.
If completed on schedule, it will become Burkina Faso’s largest power generation facility, reducing the country’s dependence on imported electricity while strengthening domestic supply for households, businesses and industry.
The project is expected to increase domestic generation capacity and could support future investment in Burkina Faso’s energy sector as electricity supply becomes more reliable. For Burkina Faso, the investment represents another step towards addressing one of its most persistent infrastructure constraints, with improved electricity access expected to underpin industrial expansion, strengthen investor confidence and support broader economic development over the coming years.
