Burkina Faso's infrastructure development, as indicated by the AIDI, reached its highest recorded score of 22.11 in 2024, highlighting substantial infrastructure deficits
Key takeaways:
Burkina Faso's AIDI score increased by over 10 points between 2003 (11.36) and 2024 (22.11).
The country experienced notable improvements between 2010 and 2012, with scores rising from 12.72 to 14.25.
The period between 2018 and 2024 showed the most consistent yearly growth, climbing from 17.51 to 22.11.
Between 2007 and 2008, Burkina Faso saw one of its smallest improvements, with only a 0.38-point increase.
The country's AIDI score crossed the 15-point mark in 2013 and has not dropped below it since then.
Between 2019 and 2024 alone, Burkina Faso added nearly 5 points to its score, showing accelerated development efforts.
Despite positive growth, the 22.11 score in 2024 still reflects major infrastructure deficits when compared to an ideal score of 100.
Burkina Faso’s infrastructure development journey has been a slow climb over the past two decades. According to the African Infrastructure Development Index (AIDI), the country's score rose from 11.36 in 2003 to an all-time high of 22.11 in 2024. Despite this improvement, the relatively low score shows the significant infrastructure gaps that remain across critical sectors like transport, energy, water, and ICT. The upward trend shows progress, but it also highlights just how much more investment and development are needed to bring Burkina Faso closer to regional and global standards.
Since independence in 1960, Burkina Faso has had only 3,000 kilometres of paved roads. This illustrates how slow infrastructure development is in the country. Presently, the president, Ibrahim Traoré, is flipping the script with an ambitious plan to build 5,000 kilometres of new paved roads, surpassing more than six decades of work in a single move.
Sterling Financial Holdings Company is Nigeria’s youngest listed PLC, at just 3 years (incorporated October 13, 2021).
Access Holdings and GT Holding Company are both only 4 years old, showing how recent banking reforms are shaping listing dynamics.
Airtel Africa is just 6 years old as a listed entity, highlighting the recent telecoms push into capital markets.
BUA Cement, only 11 years old, reflects how strategic industrial players are now aggressively leveraging public listings.
Financial services dominate the young PLCs list, from VFD Group (15 years) to First Holdco, Stanbic IBTC, and FCMB Group—all under 15.
Real estate and infrastructure players like UPDC REIT (12 years) and AVA Infrastructure Fund (10 years) show that capital-intensive sectors are increasingly tapping the market early.
Royal Exchange is Nigeria’s oldest listed PLC at 104 years, incorporated on February 28, 1921.
Unilever (101 years) and UAC Nigeria (94 years) follow closely behind, cementing their status as legacy multinationals.
Greif Nigeria (85 years) and May & Baker Nigeria (81 years) show enduring pharmaceutical and industrial presence.
Wema Bank is the oldest bank on the list at 80 years, showcasing longevity in financial services.
Consumer goods dominate the list, with companies like PZ Cussons, Nigerian Breweries, and Guinness all exceeding 75 years.
Four companies (Chellarams, PZ Cussons, Thomas Wyatt, and Nigerian Breweries) were all incorporated 77-78 years ago, pointing to a cluster of post-WWII business growth.
The youngest on the list—RT Briscoe—is still 68 years old, proving that listing longevity is no accident but a product of strategic resilience.
Mercado Libre leads with $8.5B, making it Baillie Gifford’s most valuable tech holding after its Jumia exit.
Amazon ($6.2B) and NVIDIA ($6.8B) remain major anchors in the portfolio, highlighting confidence in cloud, AI, and e-commerce.
The "Others" category holds the largest share ($75B), showing how Baillie Gifford’s exposure is spread widely beyond the major names.
Even post-Jumia, the portfolio is deeply rooted in innovation, with stakes in Spotify, Cloudflare, Moderna, and Shopify; covering audio streaming, cybersecurity, biotech, and e-commerce platforms.
Kenya recorded the highest ivory seizure among the top 10 countries, with 130,432 kg confiscated over the 34-year period.
China and Hong Kong follow closely, with 106,069 kg and 75,707 kg seized, respectively, showing their long standing roles as critical players in the global ivory network.
Vietnam and Singapore, both located in Southeast Asia, had substantial seizure records; 71,256 kg and 29,882 kg, indicating persistent trafficking through the region.
Nigeria leads West Africa in ivory confiscations within the top 10, with 23,031 kg, signalling its importance as a key node in the transit chain.
All countries listed in the top 10 are either source, transit, or destination points in the global ivory supply chain, reflecting how widespread and interconnected the illegal trade remains.
