• The 2026–2030 strategy aims to build an inclusive and competitive e-commerce sector.

• It targets women, youth, and small traders through digital integration and job creation.

• Implementation faces challenges including low Internet access and financial inclusion.

The Mauritanian government, through the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Innovation and Administrative Modernization and with support from German cooperation agency GIZ, officially approved its National E-commerce Strategy 2026–2030 on Tuesday, October 28. The plan marks a key milestone toward developing a more inclusive, sustainable, and competitive digital economy.

The roadmap seeks to improve access for women entrepreneurs to online markets, create jobs for young people through freelancing and digital platforms, integrate small traders into the formal economy via digitization, and enhance government tax revenues through better transaction traceability. These goals are built on an emerging market where Internet penetration reached 37.4% in 2025.

The strategy comes amid a period of rapid digital transformation, with Africa’s e-commerce market expected to grow by 105% by 2030—from $55 billion to $112.73 billion—according to TechCabal Insights. Mauritania aims to leverage this momentum to strengthen its competitiveness and position its economy within regional digital value chains.

Success will depend on the country’s ability to overcome key structural challenges, including uneven mobile and Internet coverage, reliance on cash payments, and low banking penetration. According to UNCTAD, financial inclusion in Mauritania remains limited to 20.9%, with notable disparities between women (15.5%) and youth (13.1%).

The strategy aims to create a favorable environment for the growth of national e-commerce by promoting digital inclusion, expanding access to online platforms for marginalized economic actors, improving financial transparency, and increasing public revenues through formalized trade. Ultimately, it seeks to build a structured and competitive e-commerce ecosystem capable of supporting sustainable growth.