IFC Backs Mauritania's Five-Star Hotel to Boost Business Tourism

Mokhtar Mohamed Ebeye, Chief Executive Officer of Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie, described the property as a landmark development for the country's hospitality industry.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has announced a financing package of up to $15 million for Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie SA (GHM), the owner of Mauritania's first internationally branded five-star hotel in Nouakchott. The investment is expected to strengthen the country's business tourism sector while creating more opportunities for local businesses, workers, and suppliers connected to the hospitality industry.

The 200-room hotel, operating under the Sheraton brand since November 2025, has expanded Mauritania's ability to welcome business travellers, international conferences, corporate meetings, and large-scale events that previously faced limited accommodation options meeting global standards. IFC's funding will help the hotel expand its operations and increase its contribution to the country's economy over the coming years.

Hotel creates jobs and opens new opportunities for local businesses

The project is already making an impact beyond the tourism sector. Since opening its doors, the hotel has created more than 200 direct jobs while generating demand for local products and services. Food suppliers, artisans, transport providers, maintenance companies, and other small businesses are benefiting from new commercial opportunities created through the hotel's operations.

Mokhtar Mohamed Ebeye, Chief Executive Officer of Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie, described the property as a landmark development for the country's hospitality industry. He said the Sheraton-branded hotel establishes a new standard for quality, customer service, and sustainable operations while creating employment, developing local skills, and strengthening domestic supply chains that support the wider economy.

IFC believes investments like this can help build stronger private sector activity by providing the infrastructure businesses need to operate efficiently while encouraging greater international engagement with Mauritania.

Sub-headline 3: Sustainable design and private sector growth remain central to IFC strategy

The hotel has also been designed with sustainability in mind. IFC expects the property to achieve EDGE green building certification through the use of energy-efficient technologies and improved water management systems that reduce operating costs and lower its environmental impact. International environmental and social standards will guide areas including workplace safety, stakeholder engagement, responsible resource management, and environmental risk management throughout the project's operations.

Olivier Buyoya, IFC Regional Director for West Africa, said quality infrastructure plays an essential role in helping private businesses expand and create employment. He noted that the investment will strengthen local value chains, support the continued growth of business tourism, make Mauritania more attractive to investors, and contribute to wider private sector-led economic development.

The investment forms part of IFC's broader engagement in Mauritania, where it continues to support industries including mining, tourism, agribusiness, infrastructure, and financial services. Alongside these investments, the organisation is working with authorities on reforms designed to modernise the investment framework, improve financial inclusion, and expand access to finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

Over the past five fiscal years, IFC has invested and mobilised nearly $2.1 billion across Mauritania, reflecting its continued commitment to supporting sustainable economic growth driven by private enterprise.