• Mauritania launched an online building permit application service on the national digital portal Khidmaty.

• The service now operates across all nine municipalities of the capital Nouakchott.

• The initiative supports public administration digitalization, although Mauritania scored 0.3491 in the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index, below the African average.

The government of Mauritania continues to digitalize administrative services as part of a broader modernization strategy. Authorities announced on March 12, the launch of an online building permit application service on the national digital portal Khidmaty. The platform already hosts several public administrative services, and the government continues to add new procedures to simplify administrative processes and improve citizens’ daily interactions with public institutions.

The new service now operates across the nine municipalities of the capital Nouakchott. The initiative forms part of the government’s strategy to modernize public administration and improve the efficiency of administrative processes. Applicants can now submit building permit applications online without visiting multiple government offices.

Authorities stated that permits issued through the system carry full legal validity. Field inspection officers can verify the authenticity of these permits instantly, which reduces the risks of fraud or document falsification. Officials from the ministry responsible for information and communication technologies explained how the system works.

“The process follows the principle of a ‘complete application at submission.’ This system guarantees uninterrupted processing without delays caused by missing documents. The citizen submits the request from a smartphone and tracks each step in real time.”

Officials also explained the payment mechanism. “Payment becomes due only after authorities fully validate the application. Municipal councils approve the fees in advance and publish them beforehand. Users complete payment through national digital wallets.”

Through this initiative, Mauritania aims to accelerate the digital transformation of public services and improve citizens’ access to administrative procedures. However, the country still faces challenges in e-government development.

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Mauritania recorded a score of 0.3491 out of 1in the 2024 E-Government Development Index. This result remains below the African continental average of 0.4247, highlighting the need for continued progress in digital governance.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum