Mauritania has signed its first independent power producer (IPP) contract, agreeing to a $300 million deal with Iwa Green Energy to develop a 60-megawatt hybrid solar-wind power plant, marking a significant step in the country’s transition to renewable energy, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The project, which is expected to start operations in September 2026, will increase the country’s total electricity generation capacity from around 450 megawatts, while helping reduce reliance on imported fuels. Currently, fewer than 10 percent of rural households in Mauritania have access to electricity.
At a signing ceremony in Nouakchott, Economy and Finance Minister Sid’Ahmed Ould Bouh said the project reflects growing private sector confidence in the government’s efforts to diversify the energy mix. “This project with private actors demonstrates their trust in our commitment to sustainable energy production and supporting economic growth,” he said.
Energy Minister Mohamed Ould Khaled highlighted that the plant is being developed under a fully private financing model, which allows the government to expand power supply without increasing public debt.
The project is among the first to be implemented under the Desert to Power Initiative’s Independent Power Producer Joint Protocol, a regional framework supported by the AfDB to attract private investment in renewable energy projects across 11 Sahel countries, including Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, and Senegal. The initiative seeks to standardize investment terms to make private financing more accessible in the region.
Daniel Schroth, AfDB Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, said the project demonstrates the protocol’s relevance as a tool for accelerating renewable energy deployment in the Sahel. “This initiative is a critical step in mobilizing private capital and scaling renewable energy solutions across Africa,” he said.
Mauritania has set ambitious targets under President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani’s energy transition plan, aiming for universal electricity access and 70 percent of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030.
