Country snapshot · North Africa
Mauritania
Solar added each year
Ember estimates of all solar (utility-scale, distributed and off-grid), MW. 2026 is Ember’s full-year estimate.
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| Year | MW | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 45.6 | Ember estimate |
| 2024 | 32.6 | Ember estimate |
| 2025 | 28.6 | Ember estimate |
| 2026E | 40.1 | Ember estimate, full year |
0.2% of Africa’s estimated 2026 solar additions (40.1 of 17,449.4 MW).1
Who has electricity
Share of people with access to electricity, 2024: rural and urban.
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| Area | Access | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rural | – | 2024 |
| Urban | 94.2% | 2024 |
| National | 52.2% | 2024 |
– Not available in sources reviewed. See the notes at the foot of the page.
World Bank WDI, 2024.2
How reliable is the grid for business?
Firms experiencing electrical outages (2025 survey), compared with Sub-Saharan Africa and the world.3,4N6
84.3% (2025 survey) · Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4% · World 47.5% (2025)
The rules for small-scale generationN2,N7
Export rules: None found
- Regulator
- ARE (multi-sector regulator)
- Main utility
- SOMELEC
Export rulesNone found. Self-generation is regulated (Electricity Code 2022, Decree 2025-022), but no surplus injection or sale provision was found.5Medium confidenceShow detail
None found. Self-generation (autoproduction) is regulated under Code de l'électricité Law 2022-027, Décret 2025-022 and Arrêté n°533 (thresholds). The ARE procedures fetched do not address surplus injection or sale
How exports are creditedNone foundShow detail
None found
Size limits and licensingDeclaration for renewables >100–300 kWc; ARE authorisation above 300 kWc (Arrêté 533, May 2025; procedures marked draft).6High confidenceShow detail
Arrêté n°533 (19 May 2025). Declaration for RE >100 kWc and ≤300 kWc (thermal 100–300 kVA). Authorisation from ARE for >300 kWc. Procedures are titled "Projet"
Mini-grid rulesNone found7Medium confidenceShow detail
None found (no mini-grid text on ARE reference list)
Market access beyond the utilityAn order on eligible-customer access (Arrêté 535) was located; its scope has not been verified. May 2025 policy: all new generation to be private (IPP model).8Medium confidenceShow detail
Eligible-customer regime: Arrêté n°535 sets "conditions et seuil d'accès au statut de client éligible" (content not read). RE connection priority: Arrêté n°534. May 2025: all new generation to be private (IPP model)
Aggregation / VPP rulesNone foundShow detail
None found
“None found” means we could not locate a rule in public sources reviewed to 10 October 2026, not that one cannot exist.
Recent developments
Dated developments, 2024–2026.
The full report
This is a snapshot. The full story is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.
The full analysis, with 17 exhibits on the boom, the data gap, the economics and the four building blocks, is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.
