Burkina Faso: The railway sector takes a leap forward with Four New State-of-the-Art locomotives
The railway transport of Burkina Faso has just crossed a decisive threshold. On Monday, February 16, 2026, in Bobo-Dioulasso, the Minister of Construction of the Nation, Mikaïlou Sidibé, officially commissioned four new state-of-the-art locomotives acquired by the International Company for African Rail Transport (SITARAIL), a subsidiary of the Africa Global Logistics (AGL) group. This major investment of over seven billion FCFA will significantly strengthen the logistical capacities of the country.
With a symbolic air horn blast, Minister Sidibé launched the operation of these new machines, in the presence of regional authorities, the Burkinabe business community, and SITARAIL’s top management.
These GL 30-type locomotives, each with 3,000 horsepower, are capable of hauling up to 1,500 gross tons.
This significant technological leap will increase hauling capacity and substantially reduce travel times on the vital railway line connecting Burkina Faso to Côte d’Ivoire.
Beyond their power, these engines impress with their modernity. Equipped with computerized control systems, onboard diagnostic devices, and advanced safety technologies, they also feature air-conditioned and digitalized cabs that considerably improve working conditions for railway workers. This particular attention to the human factor did not go unnoticed by observers.
The Director General of SITARAIL, Simplice Essoh, emphasized that this acquisition meets current and future logistical challenges.
He reaffirmed his company’s determination to support major national projects, particularly in the development of multimodal transport.
He specifically mentioned the future dry port of Ouagadougou, for which the railway connection will be an essential performance lever.
Taking the floor in turn, the Regional Director of AGL Côte d’Ivoire-Burkina Faso, Asta Rosa Cissé, stressed the commitment of her Organization to supporting states in their railway infrastructure rehabilitation projects.
“We want to make SITARAIL a model of railway success in West Africa,” she declared, before announcing that these four new locomotives complement around fifty flatbed wagons already operational, out of the 260 planned in total.
This investment of over seven billion FCFA reflects the confidence of the private sector in the economic future of Burkina Faso.
In a context where the country is focusing on its sovereignty and opening up, modernizing the railway corridor appears as a strategic priority.
It will facilitate not only the transport of goods and people, but also the supply of essential products to the country and the export of its resources.
The ceremony in Bobo-Dioulasso will remain an important milestone in the modernization of Burkina Faso’s railway network.
It proves that despite security and economic challenges, Burkina Faso continues to move forward, driven by private partners who believe in its potential.
The new locomotives, with their characteristic roar, are now a symbol of this renewed dynamism on the nation’s rails.
Cédric KABORE
