Burundi signs $1.4B power deal with US-backed company

The country has deposits of nickel, gold, and rare earths, but lacks the electricity to develop large-scale mining. Burundi signed a $1.4 billion electricity deal with US-backed Anzana Electric Group, which Washington says will strengthen American supply chains and support mining in the East African country. The country has deposits of nickel, gold, and rare earths. But Burundi, like many resource-rich African nations, has struggled to develop large-scale mining due to power shortages, poor roads and the lack of a direct rail link to export markets. Only one in five Burundians had access to electricity in 2024, according to the World Bank. The 25-year agreement, signed through Anzana’s local subsidiary Weza Power, aims to connect more than 1.2 million households and businesses. It follows a US-backed agreement in March giving New York-listed mining company Lifezone Metals 14 months of exclusive access to assess Burundi’s Musongati nickel deposit, a metal used in stainless steel and some electric vehicle batteries. Washington is pursuing mineral partnerships across Africa to challenge China’s dominance of global supply chains. Last month, US officials also pledged to help Kenya to d