Why Burkina Faso’s President Traoré Rejects Luxury SUVs For 2011 Toyota ‘Buffalo’ As Official Car

When you think of the movement of an African head of state, you probably picture a multi-million dollar convoy surrounding Presidential vehicles like bulletproof Lexus LX600s, Mercedes-Benz/Mercedes-Maybach S-Class or the latest Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series tearing down the road.

But Burkina Faso’s transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, is flipping the script. Ever since he took power on September 30, 2022, following a military coup, the world’s youngest head of state has given automotive enthusiasts and political analysts plenty to talk about.

Instead of riding in a factory-fresh luxury fortress worth $500,000+, President Traoré’s primary choice of official wheels is a modest, second-hand 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series double-cab pickup truck—popularly known here in Nigeria as the ‘Buffalo’ due to its unstoppable off-road dominance, just like the tough African Cape Buffalo.

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Valued at roughly $10,000 before modifications, the rugged workhorse was retrofitted locally with custom bulletproof armor plating and a protective gunport. Traoré’s Land Cruiser 70 Series is finished in desert-camouflage-style tan color, blending into the regional arid African terrains.

Before opting for the 70 Series, his previous daily driver was an equally utilitarian 2001 Land Rover Defender. For the 38-year-old leader, this isn’t just a styling preference but a deliberate political statement showing that he is there to change things, not to embezzle public funds.

When the government procured a fleet of high-end, high-speed luxury SUVs for the presidential convoy, Traoré famously rejected them. Instead, he reallocated those premium SUVs directly to doctors, nurses, and medical teams operating in rural, hard-to-reach villages.

While his main daily official car is a modest, secondhand 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series packed with heavily armed, uniformed soldiers, Traoré opts for heavy, blast-resistant Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) when travelling to the front lines or moving through high-risk security zones.

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