Ibrahim Traoré: The ‘Influencer President’ Redefining Power in Africa

By Faisale Shefawe
Published on 11/13/25

At this moment, no leader in Africa is more popular than the president of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré — the military officer who took power at just 34 years old through a coup in September 2022. On social media, especially among accounts with large African followings, he is portrayed as the president who dares to challenge Western dominance — a leader committed to empowering local miners, farmers, and exporters.

President Traoré has introduced economic reforms aimed at boosting local industries and exporters while maintaining tight control over the media. Charismatic and defiant, he has captured the imagination of many across the continent, earning the nickname “the influencer president.”

Born on March 14, 1988, in the western part of Burkina Faso, Traoré was known as a quiet child. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Ouagadougou before joining the army in 2009.

After enlisting, he was sent to Morocco for anti-aircraft training and later assigned to an infantry unit in northern Burkina Faso. By 2020, he had been promoted to the rank of captain.

As a captain, Traoré began to notice growing frustration among soldiers over inadequate equipment and supplies. Meanwhile, he also observed government officials and politicians enriching themselves through deals with Western corporations — a reality that fueled his discontent.

Unable to tolerate the corruption and neglect any longer, Traoré became a vocal advocate for soldiers stationed in the north. When his efforts to bring reform from within failed, a group of soldiers overthrew the government in January 2022, establishing the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR) under Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.

Traoré served as head of artillery in Kaya from March to September 2022. However, as the military grew increasingly dissatisfied with Damiba’s inability to contain jihadist insurgencies, Traoré seized the opportunity to lead a second coup. The Cobra unit, with Traoré at its core, successfully removed Damiba in September 2022, making Traoré the youngest head of state in Africa.

Since taking power, Traoré has announced a series of ambitious economic and national projects. One of the most notable is the construction of Burkina Faso’s first gold refinery, which aims to allow the country to export refined gold instead of raw materials, significantly boosting national revenue.

In 2025, his government also declared plans to nationalize foreign-owned mining assets, a move that was widely celebrated by Africans and the diaspora as a stand against economic exploitation. However, foreign investors are watching closely as the once investor-friendly nation takes a bold — and risky — new path toward self-reliance.