AfDB Intensifies Push to Unlock Mauritania’s Private Sector Potential

The AfDB’s intensified focus on Mauritania’s private sector signals growing confidence in the country’s reform trajectory and economic potential.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signalled a major strategic shift toward accelerating private sector growth in Mauritania, positioning it as a key engine for economic transformation, job creation, and regional integration.

Speaking at a high-level workshop in Nouakchott on 26 March—co-hosted with the Investment Promotion Agency of Mauritania (APIM)—AfDB Deputy Director General for North Africa, Malinne Blomberg, outlined a renewed commitment to channel greater financial and technical resources into private sector-led development.

“Our ambition is clear: to make the private sector a stronger driver of economic transformation and regional integration,” Blomberg stated, emphasising the Bank’s intent to scale up investment and deepen collaboration with financial institutions across the country.

Strategic Focus: From Potential to Bankable Projects

Mauritania, rich in natural resources and strategically located in West Africa, has long faced challenges in translating economic potential into sustainable growth. The AfDB’s renewed approach seeks to address this gap by focusing on bankable, high-impact projects capable of attracting investment and delivering measurable outcomes.

Blomberg highlighted three immediate priorities:

• Increasing financing for private sector-led investments

• Strengthening partnerships with local and regional banks

• Supporting projects that generate value addition and employment

“The real challenge is not the lack of opportunities, but the ability to turn that potential into bankable and implementable projects,” noted Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, Abdallah Souleymane Cheikh-Sidia.

Reform Momentum Boosts Investor Confidence

The Bank’s expanded engagement comes at a time when Mauritania is undertaking significant economic reforms aimed at improving its investment climate.

Key reforms include:

• Introduction of a new investment code to streamline business processes and attract foreign investment

• Strengthening of the mining regulatory framework, a critical sector for the country’s economy

• Expansion of public-private partnership (PPP) frameworks to facilitate infrastructure development

Blomberg welcomed these developments, noting that a more predictable and transparent regulatory environment is essential for unlocking private capital and fostering long-term growth.

Three-Pillar Strategy for Private Sector Development

The AfDB’s intervention in Mauritania aligns with its broader continental strategy, built around three core pillars:

1. Improving the business environment – reducing regulatory barriers and enhancing investment frameworks

2. Developing quality infrastructure – enabling connectivity, energy access, and logistics efficiency

3. Strengthening enterprise capabilities – building skills, access to finance, and competitiveness of local firms

This integrated approach is designed to create a sustainable ecosystem where businesses can thrive and scale.

Major Infrastructure and Energy Projects Underway

The Bank is already playing a pivotal role in financing and supporting transformative projects in Mauritania, including:

• Rosso Bridge Project, enhancing cross-border connectivity with Senegal

• Mauritania–Mali Power Interconnection Project, aimed at improving regional energy security

• Ongoing support for the National Industrial and Mining Company (SNIM)

• Financing initiatives for commercial banks to expand lending capacity

These projects are expected to not only improve infrastructure but also stimulate trade, industrialisation, and regional economic integration.

Strengthening Financial Access and Institutional Capacity

Beyond large-scale infrastructure, the AfDB is also providing technical assistance to APIM, helping to build institutional capacity and improve investor engagement.

Tah Ahmed Meouloud, Director General of APIM, highlighted the importance of this support, noting that the Bank plays a critical role not just as a financier but as a catalyst for credibility and risk reduction.

“Understanding how to access the Bank Group’s financing instruments is crucial for our private sector actors,” he said, pointing to the workshop’s role in bridging knowledge gaps.

Driving Regional Integration and Competitiveness

The workshop also served as a consultation platform for shaping the Bank’s upcoming North Africa Regional Integration Strategy, with a strong focus on positioning Mauritanian businesses within regional and continental markets.

As Africa moves toward deeper economic integration under frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), countries like Mauritania are seeking to enhance their competitiveness through:

• Improved cross-border infrastructure

• Stronger industrial capacity

• Greater access to regional value chains

The AfDB’s support is expected to help Mauritania leverage these opportunities more effectively.

Tackling Employment and Economic Diversification

A central objective of the Bank’s strategy is addressing Mauritania’s structural challenges, particularly:

• High unemployment rates, especially among youth

• Heavy reliance on extractive industries

• Limited diversification of the economy

By promoting private sector growth, the AfDB aims to stimulate job creation, encourage innovation, and reduce economic vulnerability.

Long-Term Vision: A More Resilient Economy

The Bank reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with Mauritanian authorities to sustainably improve the business climate, enhance workforce skills, and boost productivity across industries.

This long-term partnership is expected to play a critical role in transforming Mauritania’s economic landscape—shifting it from resource dependence toward a more diversified, private sector-driven model.

A Turning Point for Investment in Mauritania

The AfDB’s intensified focus on Mauritania’s private sector signals growing confidence in the country’s reform trajectory and economic potential.

With increased financing, stronger institutional support, and a clear strategic framework, Mauritania is positioning itself as an emerging investment destination in North-West Africa.

If successfully implemented, these initiatives could mark a turning point—unlocking new opportunities for businesses, strengthening regional integration, and delivering inclusive economic growth.