The United States is backing a $1.4 billion electricity partnership in Burundi, as an American company seeks to expand power access in the mineral-rich East African country and create conditions for greater investment in industry and natural resource processing.
- The US is supporting a $1.4 billion electricity partnership in Burundi to expand power access and boost industrial investment.
- The 25-year partnership involves the Burundian government and Weza Power, aiming to connect millions and transform the economy.
- It is the largest investment in Burundi's history and could increase electrification from 12% to 70%.
- Weza Power will build 52,000 km of distribution lines, connect 1.2 million households and businesses, and create tens of thousands of jobs.
The 25-year public-private partnership between the Burundian government and Weza Power, a subsidiary of Anzana Electric Group, is designed to expand electricity distribution, connect millions of people and support the country’s economic transformation.
“Electricity is the foundation of Burundi's economic transformation and a key pillar of our Vision 2040-2060 ambitions,” President Évariste Ndayishimiye said. “This partnership will expand opportunities for our people, strengthen our industries, and create conditions for investment, jobs and lasting prosperity.”
The US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs described the agreement as the largest investment in Burundi’s history, saying it could raise the country’s electrification rate from 12% to 70% over the coming years.
Powering Burundi’s mining and industrial ambitions
Under the agreement, Weza Power plans to build and upgrade approximately 52,000 kilometres of electricity distribution lines, connect more than 1.2 million households and businesses, and create more than 2,000 direct jobs alongside over 30,000 indirect jobs.
The investment targets a major constraint on Burundi’s economic development. Although the country has mineral resources including nickel, gold, tin and rare earth elements, limited electricity access and infrastructure have restricted industrial activity and the ability to process more resources locally.
Anzana Electric Group chief executive Brian Kelly said the partnership would strengthen Burundi’s ability to attract investment and retain more value from its natural resources.
“Reliable electricity will give businesses the confidence to invest, enable critical industries to grow, and unlock more of the country's economic potential at home,” Kelly said.
The project is expected to combine private capital with development finance, including support from international institutions. It also aligns with broader efforts to expand electricity access across Africa, where unreliable power remains a major obstacle to industrialisation.
The agreement’s impact will depend on implementation, the availability and affordability of electricity, and whether new connections translate into productive activity.
For Burundi, the ambition extends beyond bringing power to households but to create the infrastructure needed to attract businesses, expand processing industries and turn resource wealth into broader economic gains.