• IsDB approves $59.28 million to expand electricity access in underserved regions

• Project includes women-led energy platforms to support local businesses

• Rural electrification remains critically low at about 2.7%

Mauritania has secured $59.28 million in financing from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to support a rural electrification project aimed at expanding access to electricity in underserved regions.

The funding was approved on April 6 during the bank’s 365th board meeting. It includes $25.35 million from IsDB’s ordinary resources and $33.93 million from its concessional financing window. The institution did not specify the number of beneficiaries or the planned capacity.

The project targets several regions, including Adrar, Assaba, Inchiri, Brakna, the two Hodhs, and Tagant, where access to electricity remains limited.

Beyond infrastructure, the initiative also focuses on economic empowerment. It will establish 10 multifunctional energy platforms managed by local women’s cooperatives, designed to support micro-enterprises and improve livelihoods for women-led households and vulnerable communities, according to the bank.

The approval follows a series of recent interventions by the IsDB in Mauritania. On March 9, the bank announced a separate $136 million financing package for health and energy projects, including an electricity interconnection with Mali and solar power installations.

Mauritania has one of the lowest electrification rates in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). According to the World Bank, overall access to electricity stood at about 50.3% in 2023. The gap between urban and rural areas remains stark: urban access reached about 43% in 2025, while rural electrification is estimated at just 2.7%, according to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.

In this context, the new financing targets the least-served areas and supports the country’s broader goal of achieving universal electricity access by 2030.

Abdoullah Diop