Mauritania

Population (World Bank): 4,862,989 (2023)

Metal/Ore Exports (% of Total Merchandise Exports, World Bank): 39.5% (2022)

Petroleum Production (Million barrels per day, EIA): 0 Mb/d (2024)

Human Development Index (World Rank, UNDP): 164

2017 Resource Governance Index Score, Mining Sector (NRGI): 29/100

EITI Status: Moderate

Link to key economic information (Atlas of Economic Complexity)

Policy documents that include local content relevant provisions:

• Technical and Professional Training (Law No. 2018-038) (French)

• Crude Hydrocarbons Code, 2010 (French)

• Labour Law (Amendments), 2009 (French)

• Mining Code, 2008 (French)

Local Content Relevant News:

• July 2025 - Mauritania expands energy workforce training

• January 2025 - Mauritania and Senegal: A Strengthened Partnership Around Local Gas Content

• June 2023 – Mauritania’s DG of Hydrocarbons, Petroleum, Energy and Mines shares progress of Nouakchott Energy Hub infrastructure revamp

• November 2022 – Exploitation phase of the Grande Tortue Ahmeyim gas field: Advocacy for the promotion of local expertise

• August 2022 – West Africa to Improve Local Content through Extractives Industry

• July 2022 – Mauritania: local content on the menu of the first edition of the Public Private Dialogue cycle

• June 2022 – Oil & Gas: Mauritania sticks to its local content strategy (Paywall)

• May 2022 – “Mauritania has adopted an ambitious energy transition strategy”

• May 2022 – Mauritania: Mining sector to focus on energy transition

• May 2022 – Extractive sector gathers in Nouakchott for high level panel

• May 2022 – “Mauritania, a new investment frontier”

• May 2022 – Mega-Development by bp Sparks Interest in Mauritania’s Local Content

• October 2021 – Vocational Training In Industrial Field In Mauritania

• September 2021 – Mauritania: latest news on “local content” (Paywall)

• June 2021 – Extractive Industries: The “Mauritanization” Of Jobs And The Requirement For The Qualification Of The Workforce

• May 2021 – Oil & Gas In Mauritania: What Added Value For The Local Content?

• March 2021 – South Africa’s Kaiser EDP and EPCM win contracts in Mauritanian extractive sector (Paywall)

• August 2020 – Mauritania adopts a strategy for the development of Local Content in the extractive sector

• June 2019 – Mauritania's offshore development expected to be a multi-sector boon

Analysis and Case Studies:

• Hackenbruch (2022) – Accelerating Localization through Adjacent Cluster Sector Strategies in the MENA region

• Ghalla and Yacoub (2021) – SMEs and SMIs in Mauritania: Status, contribution, constraints and prospects (French)

• World Bank (2020) – Mauritania Country Economic Memorandum: Accelerating Growth Through Diversification and Productive Cities

• Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) (2017) – Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Mauritania (French)

• United Nations (2010) – Science, Technology and Innovation Policy: Review of Mauritania

Relevant Initiatives:

• Invest in Africa Mauritania (IIA-M) (2020-Present)

  • Empowering Local Content Presentation

• DAI Sustainable Business Group Local Content Study (2018)