
Burkina Faso's Prime Minister inaugurated the 50 MW thermal power plant in Pabré, marking a significant step towards the nation's energy independence. This event followed the laying of the first stone for the future 120 MW Ouaga South-East thermal power plant in Saaba, an infrastructure project estimated to cost 133 billion FCFA. The Prime Minister emphasized that energy sovereignty is crucial for Burkina Faso, stating that the country will not rest until national electricity production surpasses demand. He highlighted that past reliance on electricity imports proved limited, exposing the country to external disruptions. The current strategy focuses on building domestic production capacities to achieve strategic autonomy and energy sovereignty, aligning with the vision of the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The Minister of Energy, Mines, and Careers, Yacouba Zabré Gouba, noted that the Pabré plant's commissioning represents more than just an investment, reflecting the government's commitment to national sovereignty, economic development, and improving citizens' living conditions. Massoud Hassan Abdo Jaied, General Administrator of Al Ahram Taqa Burkina, expressed gratitude to Burkinabe authorities and partners, reaffirming his group's commitment to supporting Burkina Faso's energy sovereignty journey. In recognition of their contributions, the CEO and General Administrator of Al Ahram Taqa were awarded the rank of Knight of the Burkinabe Order of Merit. The Pabré p
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Lefaso.net.

The Central Bank of West African States BCEAO concluded a two-day seminar for economic journalists from the West African Monetary Union UMOA in Dakar on August 21, 2026. The seminar focused on major economic, monetary, and financial issues within the community, with the BCEAO reaffirming its commitment to strengthening ties with media professionals to foster a better understanding of policies and reforms. Habib Thiam, Secretary General of the BCEAO, praised the participation and relevance of discussions, noting the seminar deepened understanding of the BCEAO's missions, instruments, and strategic priorities amid a changing global economic landscape. Topics included monetary policy, financial stability, economic financing, financial inclusion, digital financial services, and payment system changes. Thiam emphasized the media's crucial role in providing reliable, rigorous, and contextualized information, making complex economic issues accessible to the public and preventing misinformation. Dominique Mabika, a journalist from Financial Afrik in Senegal, thanked the BCEAO for the initiative, highlighting how it enhanced journalists' knowledge of technical subjects and allowed direct engagement with policymakers. She stressed the responsibility of participants to act as relays for citizens, explaining mechanisms like the PI-SPI platform and BCEAO actions. The BCEAO aims for this seminar to be the start of a more regular dialogue with economic journalists, recognizing the increasin
Must ReadThe BCEAO's 2025 annual report details a year of robust economic activity, controlled inflation, strengthened financial stability, and accelerated modernization of payment infrastructures within the West African Economic and Monetary Union UEMOA. In 2025, global growth reached 3.4%, matching 2024, while inflation decreased to 4.1% from 5.8% the previous year. UEMOA economies demonstrated notable adaptability, with a 6.7% increase in GDP in 2025, following 6.2% growth in 2024. This performance was driven by the services sector, dynamic extractive industries, and a successful agricultural campaign. A significant achievement in 2025 was the control of inflationary pressures, with the annual inflation rate in UEMOA falling to zero, down from 3.5% in 2024. This was attributed to lower international prices for imported food and energy products, and an improved local food supply. The Monetary Policy Committee of the BCEAO eased financing conditions on June 4, 2025, reducing the main policy rate from 3.50% to 3.25% and the marginal lending facility rate from 5.50% to 5.25%. This accommodative monetary policy supported economic financing, with bank credit to the private sector growing by 5.6% and credit to states increasing by 7.8%. The report also highlighted the resilience of the Union's financial system, with the banking sector maintaining solvency levels above regulatory requirements and the microfinance sector showing dynamism. A major institutional advancement was the designatio
Must ReadPrime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo officially inaugurated the 50-megawatt emergency thermal power plant in Pabré on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. This infrastructure, built in 90 days against a contractual period of 120 days and costing 18 billion FCFA, will enhance the production capacity of Burkina Faso's National Electricity Company SONABEL and improve the national energy supply. The Prime Minister praised the commissioning of the Pabré plant as the first step in a broad program under the Popular Progressive Revolution, aimed at ensuring Burkina Faso's strategic autonomy and energy sovereignty.