• Mauritania plans to digitize the entire driver’s license application process, including registration, examination and secure digital issuance.
• Authorities reviewed the project during a meeting between Digital Transformation Minister Ahmed Salem Bede and Transport Minister Ely Ould Veirek.
• The initiative forms part of a broader e-government strategy that already includes 800 administrative procedures listed on the national “Khdamati” digital platform.

Mauritanian authorities are now working on the dematerialization of driver’s license procedures. The initiative aims to simplify administrative processes and improve access to services for the population.

The project formed the core of a working meeting on the digitalization of transport services held on Tuesday, March 10.

The meeting brought together Ahmed Salem Bede, minister of digital transformation and administrative modernization, and Ely Ould Veirek, minister of equipment and transport.

During the meeting, the two ministers reviewed a detailed technical demonstration of a new digital system currently under deployment. The system aims to transform the entire process for obtaining a driver’s license.

The platform will digitize every step of the procedure. Applicants will complete registration remotely, take the driving examination through the digital system and receive a secure digital driver’s license once authorities approve the application. Authorities expect the system to reduce human intervention and strengthen the reliability and security of issued documents.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation and Administrative Modernization said the project reflects the government’s broader administrative reform agenda. “This project reflects the guidance of the high authorities regarding the modernization of public administration and the simplification of administrative procedures,” the ministry said in a statement published on social media.

The ministry added: “It places users at the center of an administration that is progressing, for public services that meet citizens’ expectations.”

The initiative follows the launch of a government platform listing 800 administrative procedures to help citizens access public service information. Authorities plan to gradually integrate these procedures into the national digital services platform “Khdamati.”

The platform already offers several services. Users can register students at the University of Nouakchott, access the Digital Road Traffic System (SNTR), register companies, apply for investment code approvals and request criminal record certificates.

Citizens can also apply for vehicle registration certificates and request loss certificates for official documents through the platform.

Authorities have not yet announced a precise timeline for launching the digital driver’s license system. However, questions remain regarding user adoption. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 2G network coverage reached 97% of Mauritania’s population in 2023. Meanwhile, 3G and 4G networks covered 43.9% and 34.7% of the population respectively in 2022.

DataReportal estimates that Mauritania counted around 2 million internet users by December 2025, representing an internet penetration rate of 37.4%.

Network coverage and service quality represent only part of the adoption challenge. Access to compatible devices also influences the use of digital services. The World Bank estimates that 56.61% of Mauritanians aged over 15 owned a smartphone at the end of 2024.

Other factors may also influence the effective use of dematerialized services, including the population’s level of digital skills and the affordability of internet services.

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

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum