• The government launched the “Ijraati” platform, centralizing more than 800 administrative procedures.

• Mauritania ranks 165th globally in the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index with a score of 0.3491.

• Internet penetration reached 37.4% at end-2025, while smartphone ownership stood at 56.61% among people over 15.

The government launched a digital platform dedicated to administrative procedures earlier this week. The platform, named “Ijraati,” centralizes more than 800 procedures and serves as a unified directory of formalities applicable to citizens, investors and businesses. The initiative forms part of the national administration dematerialization strategy.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation, Innovation and Administration Modernization stated that “Ijraati” allows users to consult required documents, processing times and responsible entities. The platform also provides a dashboard for public administrations and statistical data to ensure continuous updates of procedures.

During the launch workshop, Minister Ahmed Salem Ould Bede said, “The official launch of the national administrative procedures portal ‘Ijraati’ is a milestone in the process of modernizing public administration.” according to the Mauritanian Information Agency (AMI).

He outlined a three-phase roadmap. The government will first centralize all procedures and publish them on a unified national platform. Authorities will then ensure continuous updates and data reliability in coordination with various sectors. Finally, the government will fully digitize the most requested procedures and integrate them into the “Khdamati” platform to enable remote transactions within defined timeframes and with full transparency.

In recent months, authorities added several services to digital platforms. These services include student enrollment at the University of Nouakchott, the Digital Road Traffic System (SNTR), investor services such as company registration and investment code approvals, issuance of criminal records, vehicle registration cards, certificates of loss for official documents, and services from the Mauritanian Electricity Company (SOMELEC).

The government is intensifying digital initiatives to position technology as a lever for socio-economic development. In January 2025, the executive launched the “Digital-Y” project with €4 million in funding in partnership with German cooperation. The project aims to integrate digital tools into public management, modernize services and strengthen administrative transparency.

However, Mauritania ranks 165th globally in the United Nations 2024 E-Government Development Index (EGDI) with a score of 0.3491 out of 1, which remains below African and global averages. Among the three sub-indices, the country records its lowest score in online services at 0.1688.

In cybersecurity, Mauritania falls within the fourth and penultimate tier of the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The ITU notes relatively strong legislative performance but identifies gaps in organizational, technical, capacity-building and cooperation areas.

Between Service Availability and Effective Adoption

The acceleration of digitalization raises questions about actual adoption and effective administrative proximity, which authorities cite as key objectives. The ITU reports that 2G coverage reached 97% of the population in 2023. In 2022, 3G networks covered 43.9% of the population and 4G networks covered 34.7%.

Beyond network coverage, digital service uptake requires access to compatible devices such as smartphones, computers and tablets. The World Bank reports that 56.61% of Mauritanians aged over 15 owned a smartphone at end-2024.

Other factors influence adoption, including telecom affordability, digital literacy, service quality and trust in public platforms. DataReportal estimates that Mauritania had about 2 million internet users at end-December 2025, representing a penetration rate of 37.4%.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi 

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum