Mark Cables FZE, a Dubai-based Emirati industrial group, completed on 26 January 2026 a 200 MW thermal power plant in Burkina Faso, a project valued at €180 million (around $213 million) aimed at stabilizing the national grid and reducing reliance on electricity imports. Developed in just six months, the plant supports the government’s strategy to expand domestic electricity production, where access remains low (around 22–26 %/34 % depending on sources) and the country still relies on regional imports.
The project follows a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model and marks Mark Cables’ entry into the West African Power Pool (WAPP), a common electricity market of 14 ECOWAS countries facilitating cross-border energy trade.
The initiative reflects growing Emirati presence in African energy infrastructure, as the United Arab Emirates invested around $110 billion in Africa between 2019 and 2023, strengthening their position among the continent’s top foreign investors.
