NOUAKCHOTT, JUNE 19, 2025 - The World Bank Group has released the eighth edition of its Mauritania Economic Update (French), highlighting the Mauritanian government’s continued efforts to preserve macroeconomic stability and strengthen social safety nets, despite a moderate slowdown in economic growth in 2024.
According to the report, Mauritania’s economic growth reached 5.2% in 2024, down from 6.4% in 2023. This deceleration was primarily driven by a decline in extractive production and weaker public consumption. Nonetheless, the country’s economic performance remains above the regional average.
In a global context marked by uncertainty, Mauritania has benefited from a decline in inflation, supported by a more stringent monetary policy and falling international prices for food and energy. Ongoing fiscal consolidation efforts have further reduced the fiscal deficit, reflecting prudent public financial management.
Urbain Thierry Yogo, Senior Country Economist of the World Bank Group in Mauritania, explained: “Mauritania should maintain the momentum of macroeconomic and structural reforms that will help diversifying the economy and create productive jobs while protecting the most vulnerable against economic and climate shocks”.
The medium-term economic outlook remains favorable, with growth projected to average 4.9%. However, the report warns of persistent risks linked to commodity price volatility and climate-related shocks. To maintain macroeconomic stability and promote more inclusive growth, the report emphasizes the need to diversify the economy, invest mining revenues into productive non-extractive sectors, and continue pursuing sound fiscal and monetary policies.
The 2025 edition places particular emphasis on social protection reform. Mauritania has taken a significant step forward by gradually replacing generalized subsidies with targeted cash transfer programs. The use of the national Social Registry has improved coverage and helped better identify vulnerable households. Although social assistance spending stood at 1.51% of GDP in 2022—still below the regional average—ongoing reforms aim to make interventions more effective and better aligned with the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
“As Mauritania continues its commendable efforts to preserve macroeconomic stability, it is becoming increasingly important to strengthen the coverage, targeting accuracy, and efficiency of its social protection programs to ensure sustainable and inclusive development,” said Ibou Diouf, World Bank Country Manager for Mauritania.
The report finds that social protection programs have had a positive impact on vulnerable populations and the reduction of inequalities—particularly through the Tekavoul program, which stands out for its effectiveness. However, sustainably increasing benefit levels and refining targeting mechanisms are seen as essential to maximizing poverty reduction.
To enhance social assistance delivery, the report recommends updating the Social Registry, improving targeting precision, aligning food subsidies with actual household needs, and strengthening institutional coordination through a national platform and harmonized monitoring tools. Finally, expanding economic inclusion programs and developing graduation strategies for beneficiaries will help build a more adaptive and resilient social protection system.
