Banana plants (Musa spp.) are grown in many tropical and subtropical countries. Recent years the production of bananas has increased around the world. In the countries of the African Great Lakes region, the banana plant is seen as a staple crop. It is used for different cooking purposes and also as eco-friendly materials for construction and packaging. Banana by-products can serve an important role in protecting soil and improving fertility. The purpose of this paper is to explore the food and non-food usages of banana plants in Burundi, which is located in the heart of Africa. The methodological approach is based on the traditional literature review. The sample of scientific papers includes published articles from Scopus collection, PubMed, ResearchGate and platform of African Journals Online. Scientific novelty is to fill the existing gap by documenting and expending knowledge on food and non-food usage of banana in Burundi. Therefore, the first part of this paper describes the diversity of banana varieties in the studied country and the key botanical characteristics of the plant. The second part consists of documentation of the traditional banana-based foods, dishes, and beverages in the country. The third part contributes to the discussion of non-food usages of banana plants and the embeddedness of the plant in daily life in Burundi. In conclusion, banana plants are associated with multiple functions such as economic, environmental, social, and construction roles at the household and firm levels.