Burkina Faso celebrates as Ibrahim Traore unveils made-in-Africa electric buses [Video]

A new video circulating online has captured jubilant scenes in Burkina Faso as citizens danced in the streets following President Ibrahim Traoré’s unveiling of the nation’s first-ever locally manufactured electric buses.

The moment, tagged BREAKING: Ibrahim Traoré just unveiled Burkina Faso’s first-ever electric buses — made in Africa, by Africans — has gone viral, with reports even claiming that tech mogul Elon Musk was allegedly “shocked” by the bold and unexpected development.

In the video, people are seen celebrating and dancing joyfully near the buses, reflecting national pride and excitement over the historic milestone.

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For many, it is more than just a technological advancement—it represents a new era of innovation, self-reliance, and hope for African industrialisation.

Burkina Faso’s ITAOUA electric bus: A game-changer for Africa

Recently, Burkina Faso made headlines when it introduced ITAOUA, a homegrown electric vehicle (EV) brand that is now officially on the market.

As reported by Business Insider Africa, the ITAOUA marks a major leap for the continent's EV ambitions and positions Burkina Faso at the forefront of Africa’s clean energy revolution.

According to the manufacturer, the ITAOUA EV is engineered for performance and sustainability, offering an impressive range of 330 kilometres on a single charge—reached in just 30 minutes.

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The vehicle is 100% electric, solar-powered, and eco-friendly, making it a strong contender in Africa’s fast-growing green transport sector.

Manufacturing takes place at a state-of-the-art facility in Ouaga 2000, a notable tech and business district in the capital, Ouagadougou.

This milestone demonstrates not only the technical skill of Burkinabé engineers but also the country's growing capacity for large-scale innovation.

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An electric future for Africa

According to Mordor Intelligence, Africa’s electric vehicle market is set to hit $15.8 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $25.4 billion by 2029.

While countries like China, the US, and those in Europe currently dominate global EV sales, accounting for 95% of the market in 2023, Africa is quickly catching up.

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Botswana recently entered the EV race by launching its first locally assembled electric vehicles in Gaborone, the result of a collaboration between the Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) and two Chinese manufacturers. Ghana is also actively advancing EV adoption through policy, pilot projects, and supportive incentives. Electric buses and bikes are already in operation, and EV counts among public and private users are growing

These developments show a clear trend: African nations are no longer waiting for foreign solutions; they are building their own.