• Polish company Hynfra signed a framework agreement with Mauritania for a $1.5 billion green ammonia project, targeting 100,000 tonnes per year by 2030.

• The project will integrate solar and wind power, electrolyzers, a synthesis unit, desalination, and export logistics via the Port of Friendship.

• Despite numerous high-profile announcements, concrete progress on Mauritania's green hydrogen and ammonia projects remains slow, highlighting funding and market challenges.

Agreements continue to unfold in Mauritania regarding green hydrogen and ammonia. While the country's potential is undeniable, uncertainties and slow project progress underscore the significant gap between stated ambitions and project completion.

During the Mauritanides 2025 conference, held on September 8-10, Polish company Hynfra formalized a framework agreement with the Mauritanian government for a green ammonia production project. Scheduled for 2030, the project expects to mobilize $1.5 billion in investments to produce 100,000 tonnes annually. It will include solar and wind power plants, electrolyzers, a synthesis unit, water desalination, and logistical infrastructure for export via the Port of Friendship.

This announcement aligns with an ambitious national strategy that has already seen several major agreements. In February, Danish company GreenGo Energy signed an agreement for the Megaton Moon project, with 100,000 hectares conceded near Nouakchott. This adds to mega-projects like CWP Global's AMAN (30 GW), Infinity-Conjuncta (10 GW), and Chariot and TotalEren's NOUR (10 GW).

However, despite these announcements, concrete progress remains limited. In early June, CWP clarified its position amid speculations of a slowdown in the AMAN project. Its founder, Mark W. Crandall, affirmed no intention of abandonment, while acknowledging that development will follow "the pace of global markets."

The $40 billion project illustrates developers' reliance on international financial mechanisms that are not always suitable. A study published in June 2025 in Nature Energy confirmed Mauritania's competitive potential, with an estimated cost of €3.2/kgH₂ in 2030 in an optimal scenario. This cost would nevertheless rise to €4.9/kgH₂ without political and external financial support.

Mauritania possesses exceptional solar and wind resources and strategic port access. Yet, it remains a country where approximately 20% of GDP and over 77% of exports still originated from the extractive sector in 2024. Green hydrogen and ammonia projects are thus presented as a path toward diversification and value creation.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop 

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum