Mali Raises $56M from Telecom Taxes, Channels Bulk Toward Power Supply Upgrades

The Government of Mali has announced that a total of 34 billion CFA francs (approximately $ 56 million) has been collected through telephony-related taxes. The funds were mobilised by the national Steering Committee, which oversees the allocation and management of telecommunication tax revenues, according to ORTM.

According to the Minister of Energy and Water, 24 billion CFA francs from this sum will be directed toward efforts to improve the country’s electricity supply. This initiative is reportedly part of a broader strategy to strengthen energy infrastructure and address recurring issues, such as power shortages and limited rural access to electricity.

The remaining 10 billion CFA francs have not yet been publicly earmarked. It will be recalled that the Malian government launched the second phase of the Programme de Développement de l’Irrigation dans les bassins du Bani et de Sélingué (PDI-BS II), backed by an investment of 47.4 billion CFA francs (approximately 78million USD).

Announced in June 2025, this project is considered central to Mali’s strategy for achieving agricultural self-sufficiency and economic resilience. With support from a 30 billion CFA franc loan from the West African Development Bank (BOAD), the programme aims to develop 10,240 hectares of new irrigated land across the Bani and Sélingué regions.

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