By: The Fatu Network Editorial
Since taking office in 2022, Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré has implemented a nationalization strategy focused on local ownership and self-sufficiency across key sectors. In the tomato processing industry, Traoré established factories that are 100% owned by Burkinabé citizens through a shareholding system where locals invest as little as 10,000 CFA francs, with no foreign investment or bank loans involved.
The president has also nationalized road construction by purchasing all necessary equipment and training hundreds of Burkinabé to operate the machinery, aiming to build 5,000 kilometers of paved roads annually compared to the mere 3,000 kilometers constructed since independence.
His industrialization efforts include the launch of “Itaoua” electric vehicles with the “Sahel” model, named after the AES Sahel region comprising Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, manufactured at a domestic EV assembly plant.
Traoré has mandated that judges, lawyers, and students wear locally-made uniforms using Burkinabé fabric, supporting the domestic textile industry.
This approach extends to other sectors, with the president establishing locally-owned milk processing factories that produce butter, cheese, yogurt, and fresh milk.
Source: Information compiled from Flying To Meet The President Of Burkina Faso by Wode Maya, published on his official YouTube channel in May 2025. This fact-finding mission provided direct insight into Burkina Faso’s progress, featuring interviews with citizens to gain firsthand knowledge of the country’s developments.
