In the heart of West Africa, Burkina Faso is undergoing a quiet revolution. Under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in September 2022, the nation has launched a transformative infrastructure program that highlights the power of self-reliance, innovation, and strategic vision. As the country faces significant challenges, it is making strides in road construction, agriculture, job creation, and security—all while fostering resilience in the face of adversity.
The Historic 5,000 Kilometre Road Vision
The most audacious plan under Captain Traoré’s administration is the 5,000-kilometre road construction initiative launched in 2025. This unprecedented project aims to build more paved roads than the entire 3,642 kilometres constructed since Burkina Faso’s independence in 1960.
Sector Addressed: National connectivity and economic integration
Innovation: The project is being executed without foreign contractors, focusing instead on local capacity building.
Capacity Building: Construction equipment was sourced directly from neighbouring Ghana, alongside hands-on training for thousands of young Burkinabé workers.
Progress Made:
The construction of the 5,000 km network is already underway, with significant stretches being paved in both rural and urban areas. In Ouagadougou, the capital, road upgrades are improving the flow of traffic, while in rural regions, new roads are connecting remote villages to the main trade routes. These developments are reducing transportation costs and enhancing regional integration. Notably, Koudougou, a major trade hub, is now fully connected to the capital by a newly paved road, significantly cutting travel time for goods and people.
Sector Impact:
Amadou Sankara, a 24-year-old from Koudougou, embodies this new generation of infrastructure builders. “We’re not just building roads—we’re building our independence. Every metre we pave is proof that we can shape our own destiny,” he says.
The Donou Method
Innovation takes centre stage in the Donou technique, a Japanese road construction method that is being applied in Burkina Faso. This method uses polypropylene bags filled with local materials such as sand, earth, and gravel to create sustainable and durable road bases.
Sector Addressed: Rural connectivity and sustainable construction
Technical Innovation: Use of local resources to reduce costs and environmental impact
Training Program: Conducted in February 2025 at the National School of Public Works
Progress Made:
The Donou method has been successfully applied in several rural areas where conventional road construction would have been too costly or difficult. By employing local materials and hand-compacting techniques, over 100 kilometres of rural roads have already been built. This has dramatically improved access for farming communities, facilitating market access for agricultural goods and providing healthcare and education services to more people.
Training for Local Builders:
The training sessions held in 2025 equipped hundreds of local engineers and labourers with skills that will have a long-term impact on the country’s infrastructure. Mariam Ouédraogo, an engineer involved in the training, explains, “This method allows us to build quality roads using our own hands, our own materials, and our own determination.”
The PReBBO Project
The PReBBO (Bobo-Dioulasso-Banfora-Côte d’Ivoire Border) road project is another important development, with far-reaching economic and geopolitical implications. This 197-kilometre project will upgrade roads and bridges, improving connectivity between Burkina Faso and its neighbouring countries.
Sector Addressed: Cross-border trade and regional economic integration
Funding: US$267 million, with contributions from the African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and Burkina Faso’s government
Completion Timeline: 24 months for major sections
Progress Made:
Work on the Bobo-Dioulasso-Banfora-Côte d’Ivoire Border road is already underway, with major sections expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The new two-lane bridge over the Leraba River will improve cross-border trade, while the upgrade of the Bobo-Dioulasso-Banfora road is expected to create reliable trade corridors that benefit not only Burkina Faso but also Mali and Niger. This project has already reduced transportation delays, which previously often caused disruptions in trade between these countries.
The “Offensive Agricole” Strategy
Beyond infrastructure, Traoré has pushed for the modernisation of agriculture through the “Offensive Agricole” strategy. This ambitious plan aims to achieve food sovereignty by 2025, a crucial objective in a country where over 80% of the population is involved in agriculture.
Sector Addressed: Food security and agricultural productivity
Innovation: Promotion of climate-smart agriculture techniques
Focus: Combatting desertification and optimising fertiliser use
Progress Made:
The Offensive Agricole strategy has already seen significant results. Over 500,000 hectares of land have been converted to climate-smart agricultural practices, such as irrigated rice farming and the introduction of drought-resistant crops. Additionally, the government has invested in soil restoration projects, including tree planting to combat desertification. The government has also launched agricultural extension services that train farmers in modern farming techniques, leading to improved crop yields.
Local Empowerment:
Fatimata Compaoré, a leader in a local farming cooperative, says,
“The ‘Offensive Agricole’ isn’t just about growing more food—it’s about growing our confidence that we can feed ourselves.”
Recent Update from Captain Traoré’s X Account:
In a recent post shared on his X account, Captain Traoré highlighted fresh achievements in the agricultural sector. He stated:
“At the end of my stay, I leave satisfied with the actions we have carried out for the benefit of our valiant populations. The delivery of agro-pastoral equipment and inputs, valued at more than 104 billion FCFA, aims to provide our brave producers with the means to achieve food self-sufficiency. The laying of the foundation stone of the cashew apple processing plant and the veterinary medicine manufacturing unit is also the materialisation of our vision of a Burkina Faso moving towards true industrialisation.”
This recent update underscores the growing momentum behind the country’s agricultural modernisation efforts, which are now backed by substantial investments in processing facilities and industrial units that will provide new jobs and value-added products for local economies.
Regional Security and Self-Reliance: The Alliance of Sahel States
Security remains a major challenge for Burkina Faso, with jihadist groups controlling vast portions of the country. In response, Traoré has forged the Alliance of Sahel States (with Mali and Niger), which represents a strategic shift towards regional self-reliance in addressing security concerns.
Sector Addressed: National and regional security
Innovation: Volunteer Defence Forces (VDPs) and regional military collaboration
Strategic Shift: Withdrawal from ECOWAS and focus on indigenous solutions
Progress Made:
The Alliance of Sahel States has already conducted joint military operations, leading to increased coordination between the military forces of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. These operations have managed to retake several key towns from insurgent groups, although challenges persist. The Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDPs) have been integrated into security efforts, providing local communities with the means to defend themselves against militant groups.
Despite the challenges, Burkina Faso’s commitment to self-reliance in security has helped reduce dependence on foreign military intervention, a theme that is becoming more pronounced across the Sahel region.
Energy Infrastructure
In the energy sector, the Traoré administration has been focused on mapping out the country’s energy needs, while building sustainable and affordable power generation infrastructure. By expanding solar energy projects, Burkina Faso is positioning itself as a leader in renewable energy, harnessing its abundant sunlight to power the future.
Sector Addressed: Energy access and generation
Technologies: Expansion of solar PV and hydroelectric projects
Progress Made:
Burkina Faso has increased its solar power generation capacity by 30% in 2024, with more solar farms slated for construction in the coming years. These projects are expected to power both urban areas and rural communities, helping to reduce energy shortages and lower reliance on imported energy. Additionally, the expansion of hydroelectric projects along key rivers is contributing to the growth of clean energy in the country.
Local Empowerment:
The solar projects are also creating local jobs in rural communities, where youth are trained to install and maintain solar panels. These initiatives are contributing to energy security and economic stability by promoting sustainable energy solutions.
Building Amid Crisis
Despite facing terrorist attacks, mass displacement, and severe food insecurity, Burkina Faso is charting a course of self-reliance. The nation’s infrastructure renaissance is not just about the roads and factories being built—it’s about the resilience being fostered within the people.
With over 2 million displaced persons and 6.5 million people facing food insecurity, Burkina Faso’s progress offers a beacon of hope amid an otherwise bleak security and humanitarian landscape. The construction of roads, training young engineers, and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices signal a future built not on external handouts but on local ingenuity and determination.
A Model for Africa
Burkina Faso’s infrastructure and development approach is a model for other African nations facing similar challenges. By focusing on local capacity building, sustainable construction, regional integration, and security self-reliance, Burkina Faso is proving that African nations can lead their own transformation.
Traoré’s vision of self-reliance—whether through roads, agriculture, or energy—presents an alternative development path for other African countries grappling with insecurity and economic challenges. The 5,000 kilometres of new roads are more than just transportation corridors; they are pathways to a brighter, more resilient future.
Empowering a Nation
Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s infrastructure renaissance is not simply about building roads or factories—it is about building a nation that refuses to be defined by its challenges. From the Donou method to climate-resilient agriculture to the creation of regional security alliances, Burkina Faso is laying the groundwork for a prosperous, self-reliant future.
In the coming years, the 5,000 kilometres of roads, the agricultural transformation, and the improved energy systems will not just be symbols of progress—they will be proof that Africa can thrive on its own terms.
Burkina Faso is showing the world that with determination, local innovation, and strategic partnerships, a nation can build its own future—one road, one farm, one project at a time.
