In 2023, Burkina Faso consumed just 144 kWh of electricity per person—about 4% of the global average of 3,853 kWh, or roughly one twenty-seventh as much. Electricity supply depended heavily on net imports of about 1.6 TWh and domestic fossil generation of about 1.4 TWh. Domestic low-carbon generation amounted to 13 kWh per person, equivalent to around 9% of consumption; the supplied figures do not identify whether imported electricity came from clean or fossil sources. Such low electricity availability can constrain healthcare, education, irrigation and business activity, while limiting opportunities for electrification and digital services.

Is Electricity Growing in Burkina Faso?

The latest figures do not show new records for electricity consumption or clean generation per person. Total consumption fell from its 2021 peak of 147 kWh per person to 144 kWh in 2023, a decline of about 2%. Low-carbon generation also slipped from its 2021 record of 14 kWh per person to 13 kWh, a decline of around 7%. These setbacks are concerning given Burkina Faso’s substantial need for more electricity. However, per-person figures alone do not establish whether total national electricity consumption or generation increased, because population changes also matter.

Suggestions

Burkina Faso should prioritize expanding solar electricity through utility-scale projects, rooftop systems and mini-grids, alongside stronger networks and storage. Relevant examples include South Africa, with 19 TWh of solar generation, and India, with 223 TWh, offering useful models for scaling solar across diverse communities and electricity needs. Wind could complement solar where local measurements demonstrate suitable resources; South Africa generates 11 TWh from wind. Nuclear should also be considered in long-term electricity planning, including regional cooperation and the development of technical and regulatory expertise. South Africa’s 11 TWh of nuclear generation and Pakistan’s 25 TWh illustrate its contribution to reliable low-carbon electricity. These examples provide directions to study rather than generation targets to copy, with solar offering a particularly direct route to expanding Burkina Faso’s clean electricity supply.

History

Burkina Faso’s reported low-carbon electricity history shows modest, intermittent additions rather than sustained growth. Hydropower generation increased by about 0.1 TWh in both 1996 and 1999, while the listed years throughout the 2000s and early 2010s recorded no change at the reported precision. Another hydro increase of about 0.1 TWh came in 2016. In 2018, solar and biofuels each added about 0.1 TWh of low-carbon generation. The subsequent listed observations show no reported change in hydro in 2019 or during 2021–2023, and none in biofuels in 2020. This limited momentum underscores the need for sustained expansion, especially of solar, to raise electricity availability and support development.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade