The country many had written off has made one of West Africa’s boldest energy promises. Burkina Faso's government, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has approved the "Faso Wa-Fulu" (“Energy for All”) program, a multibillion-dollar initiative aiming to bring electricity to everyone by 2030. Burkina Faso faces a serious security crisis, is under military rule, and has connected only about one-third of its population to electricity. Yet the government has approved one of the continent’s most ambitious electrification plans. The 10-year presidential program is backed by more than US$4.5 billion. Its goal is clear and far-reaching: universal access to electricity by 2030. The plan aims to reach 3.5 million households and businesses and extend power to 6,700 localities, most of them rural communities that have long been overlooked. To carry it out, the government plans to deploy 44 dedicated electrification brigades and create more than 1,200 specialized jobs. Another major ambition is energy sovereignty. Through solar power and regional thermal capacity, Burkina Faso hopes to reduce—and eventually end—its reliance on electricity imports from neighboring countries. Critics may argue that the security situation makes the plan nearly impossible to deliver. They may be right. But the program has been announced, funding has been pledged in principle, and the decree has been signed.