Quick Navigation
- Background: Why Burkina Faso is a key market
- Ministère de l’Énergie, des Mines et des Carrières (MEMC)
- FDE – Fonds de Développement de l’Électrification
- SONABEL (Utility-Led Programs)
- KYA-Energy Group
- Solektra / Akon Lighting Africa
- Chinese EPCs (Sinohydro, CWE, CRBC)
- Local EPCs in Ouagadougou & Bobo-Dioulasso
- Donor Programs (World Bank, AfDB, EU, BOAD)
- NGO & Community-Led Lighting
- Sunlurio’s 500-Set Flagship Project
- Comparison of Key Players
- Final Takeaway
- Work With Sunlurio
Background: Why Burkina Faso is a key market
Burkina Faso’s electrification rate is among the lowest in West Africa. In rural provinces, less than 20% of households have grid access. The government and donors are pushing solar street lights as a fast, visible way to improve safety in towns, markets, and schools.
Donor loans and grants (World Bank, AfDB, BOAD, EU) drive procurement. Tenders demand IEC/CE test reports, IP66/IK08 ratings, and ISO 12944 poles that survive dust and heavy rains. Local EPCs handle installs, but they rely on suppliers who can back paperwork with real hardware.
Ministère de l’Énergie, des Mines et des Carrières (MEMC)
The Ministry of Energy sets strategy. They issue high-level tenders and channel donor funds to EPCs. Most big solar lighting programs carry their stamp.
What they do: Publish tenders, evaluate compliance, and allocate funds across provinces. Ministries often partner with donor consultants to review specs.
Buyer view: MEMC-led projects are secure in financing, but heavy on admin. Expect French paperwork and delays if your file is incomplete.
Example scope: 2023–24 ministry tender for several hundred lights across Centre-Sud and Plateau Central, with donor oversight.
FDE – Fonds de Développement de l’Électrification
FDE manages rural electrification. They roll out mini-grids, solar kits, and public lighting.
What they do: Issue regional tenders, often <200 lights per lot. Favor SMEs who can mobilize crews.
Buyer view: Great entry point for EPCs. But documents are strict: autonomy ≥3 nights, LM-80/LM-79 files in French, corrosion certificates.
Example scope: 2022 FDE-funded ~120 lights for rural markets in Centre-Nord, split across two EPCs.
SONABEL (Utility-Led Programs)
National utility SONABEL focuses on grid, but they coordinate urban lighting upgrades. They handle procurement in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.
What they do: Co-manage urban road tenders, ensuring integration with grid-fed lighting. Push hybrid solar-grid setups in city centers.
Buyer view: Urban jobs carry visibility. Expect stronger optics and pole specs than rural lots.
Example scope: 2023 SONABEL program added ~250 solar lights in Ouaga, mixing grid-tied LEDs with stand-alone solar for resilience.
---
A Togo-based renewable EPC active in Burkina Faso. Known for donor-funded installs and strong compliance files.
What they do: Supply and install solar street lights, home systems, mini-grids. Familiar with BOAD and ECOWAS donor reporting.
Buyer view: Good partner when compliance is non-negotiable. They often subcontract pole works to Burkinabè SMEs.
Example scope: BOAD-funded corridor linking Ouagadougou to Koudougou with solar lights in 2021.
Solektra / Akon Lighting Africa
Well-known in West Africa. Focus on fast deployments with all-in-one lights. Suited to villages and mid-size towns.
What they do: Deploy container lots of integrated solar street lights. Quick rollout, high visibility.
Buyer view: Ideal for donor pilots or mayoral programs that value speed. Optics and autonomy mid-range.
Example scope: Community-scale installs in Cascades region, covering ~100 units per lot.
Chinese EPCs (Sinohydro, CWE, CRBC)
Chinese EPCs dominate large road packages. Street lights come bundled. Financing links help push big corridors.
What they do: Deliver lights as part of highways, interchanges, and donor-financed roads.
Buyer view: Good for scale, but limited flexibility. Specs often set early.
Example scope: 2022 Sinohydro contract on RN4 highway included several hundred solar lights.
Local EPCs in Ouagadougou & Bobo-Dioulasso
Local SMEs import integrated lights, fabricate poles, and install for councils and ministries.
What they do: Small–medium projects (50–150 units). Focus on quick delivery and basic compliance.
Buyer view: Cheapest entry, fast installs. Paperwork sometimes light — risk in donor-funded bids.
Example scope: Ward-level projects in Ouaga 2000, ~80 units supplied by a local SME with galvanized poles.
Donor Programs (World Bank, AfDB, EU, BOAD)
Donors fund large parts of Burkina Faso’s solar lighting. World Bank and BOAD are especially active.
What they do: Provide loans/grants; enforce compliance. Specs fixed in French. Require audits and O&M plans.
Buyer view: Payments safe, but admin heavy. Specs non-negotiable.
Example scope: World Bank program in Centre-Ouest funded ~400 solar lights in 2022–23.
NGOs like Plan International, UNDP, and local associations buy smaller lots for clinics, schools, markets.
What they do: Procure 20–50 lights at a time. Install in community facilities. Focus on safety.
Buyer view: Good pilot-scale work. Specs lighter, but still ask for IP66/IK08 datasheets.
Example scope: UNDP-backed clinic lighting in Boucle du Mouhoun, ~40 lights in 2023.
Sunlurio’s 500-Set Flagship Project
In 2024, Sunlurio delivered 500 solar street lightss](https://eponline.com/articles/2023/12/27/how-solar-streetlights-contribute-to-sustainable-urban-development.aspx) to Burkina Faso — a major benchmark for scale and compliance.
- Scope: 7 m poles, 60 W LED luminaires at 230 lm/W, LiFePO₄ batteries with 6000+ cycles.
- Compliance: IEC/CE files, IP66/IK08, ISO 12944 hot-dip galvanized poles.
- Delivery: Container-optimized logistics, full documentation in French, smooth customs clearance.
- Impact: Safer corridors in provincial towns; reduced diesel generator use; high satisfaction from local councils.
Buyer view: This project showed that quality + paperwork + logistics can win big donor-backed jobs in Burkina Faso.
| Player | Strength | Typical Use | Example Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEMC | National oversight | Donor tenders | Multi-province packages |
| FDE | Rural projects | Market/school roads | 100–200 unit lots |
| SONABEL | Urban upgrades | City arterials | Ouagadougou/Bobo |
| KYA-Energy | Donor compliance | Corridor programs | BOAD-funded |
| Solektra | Fast installs | Villages, towns | 100+ unit lots |
| Chinese EPCs | Scale + finance | Highways | RN4 bundles |
| Local SMEs | Cheapest option | Ward lots | 50–100 units |
| Donors | Secure funding | Multi-year rural | World Bank 400 units |
| NGOs | Pilots, community | Clinics/schools | UNDP 40 units |
| Sunlurio | Scale + compliance | Large donor tenders | 500-set flagship |
Burkina Faso’s solar lighting market is donor-heavy and French-paperwork driven. Winners bring:
- 230 lm/W LEDs to stretch budgets.
- LiFePO₄ 6000+ cycle batteries for 8–10 years of life.
- Hot-dip galvanized poles (ISO 12944) to beat rainy season rust.
- French-language IEC/CE files that pass donor checks first round.
Sunlurio’s 500-set project proved these points on the ground. EPCs who cut corners on specs or files lose credibility fast in Burkina Faso.
---
We help EPCs and ministries in Burkina Faso with:
- French-language technical files: IEC/CE, LM-80/LM-79, IP66/IK08, ISO 12944
- High-performance systems: 230 lm/W LEDs, ≥3-night autonomy
- Durable batteries: LiFePO₄ 6000+ cycles, proper thermal design
- Container planning: 7 m poles, optimized 40HQ loads
- After-sales & training: spares lists, site crew guidance
👉 If you want to clear donor paperwork and deliver a tender that lasts, work with Sunlurio.
