The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund approved a €70.34 million loan to Burkina Faso on 10 December 2025 to finance the Transport Sector Support Project. The funding, provided through the African Development Bank Group’s concessional window, aims to accelerate access to the country’s interior, enhance sub-regional integration, and strengthen the resilience of local populations. The project also benefits from additional financing by the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, alongside contributions from the Burkina Faso government.
The financing will cover part of the costs for machinery and equipment to establish five emergency road maintenance teams in the Ouahigouya, Ziniaré, Kaya, Dori, and Fada N’Gourma regions. It will also support ongoing road maintenance work throughout the project’s implementation phase, scheduled to run until 2030. In addition, the funds will facilitate the rehabilitation and construction of offices, garages, and workshops equipped with necessary maintenance and repair tools, prioritizing areas most in need.
The Transport Sector Support Project is designed to improve territorial accessibility, preserve the road network, and enhance the resilience of communities in Burkina Faso. The targeted regions have significant agropastoral potential and a rich cultural heritage, making infrastructure development crucial for economic growth and social inclusion.
According to Mike Salawou, Director of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department at the African Development Bank Group, Burkina Faso’s transport sector is a leading focus of the Bank Group’s public investment portfolio. The project aligns with the Bank’s Sahel initiative, aiming to connect regional countries, foster peace, and accelerate socio-economic development.
Lamin Barrow, the Bank’s Director General for West Africa, emphasized that the project strengthens both internal and external connectivity, creates employment opportunities, and improves access to essential social services and markets for vulnerable populations. The initiative supports the structural transformation of Burkina Faso’s economy and complements the objectives outlined in the Bank’s Interim Country Strategy Paper for Burkina Faso 2022–2026.
