(Ecofin Agency) - Burkina Faso is working to reshape its national electricity strategy, with a special emphasis on collaborating with neighboring countries Mali and Niger.

The government of Burkina Faso has initiated the formal approval process for its National Rural Electrification Strategy (SNER), in a workshop that took place on March 19, overseen by the Minister of Energy, Mr. Yacouba Gouba.

According to various local news outlets, the cost for rolling out the SNER is projected to be CFA625 billion (approximately $1.04 billion). The strategy's main goal is to bring electricity to 1,000 rural communities annually through the use of the national interconnected grid, green mini-grids, and standalone systems. This ambitious plan aims to boost rural electrification rates to 50% by the year 2028.

In his remarks regarding the strategy, Energy Minister Mr. Gouba envisioned a future where, by 2028, rural electrification in Burkina Faso transitions from being a luxury to a fundamental right available to all citizens. “A country where endogenous resources are exploited wisely, where a favorable legal and institutional framework attracts private investment,” he said. 

Access to energy is crucial for sustainable development, aligning with the seventh Sustainable Development Goal, which focuses on ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services by 2030.

Nevertheless, Burkina Faso, like many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, is experiencing low electrification rates, particularly in rural regions. The combination of rapid population growth and insufficient investment in power generation projects and transmission infrastructure has resulted in approximately 80% of the global population without electricity residing in SSA.