Mauritania has signed its first independent power producer (IPP) contract, a $300 million agreement with Iwa Green Energy to develop a 60-megawatt solar-wind hybrid power plant, APA has learned.
The landmark project represents a major step in the country’s strategy to boost electricity generation through private investment while accelerating its transition to renewable energy.
According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the facility is expected to come online in September 2026, raising Mauritania’s total installed capacity to around 450 megawatts.
“This project involving private partners reflects their confidence in the government’s determination to diversify the energy mix and provide sustainable power sources to support the economy,” said Sid’Ahmed Ould Bouh, Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance.
With less than 10% of rural households currently connected to the grid, Mauritania has set ambitious targets under President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani’s energy transition plan to diversify power generation, curb carbon emissions, and strengthen production capacity.
Energy and Petroleum Minister Mohamed Ould Khaled noted that the fully private financing model will allow the country to expand supply without increasing public debt.
For his part, Daniel Schroth, AfDB’s Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, commended Mauritania for reaching this milestone, highlighting the application of the Desert to Power Common Framework as a key tool for accelerating IPP implementation in the Sahel.
The project will contribute to the goals of both the Desert to Power Initiative and Mauritania’s Mission 300 Energy Compact.
Launched in 2019 by the African Development Bank Group, the Desert to Power Initiative aims to harness the solar potential of 11 Sahel countries—including Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, and Chad—to generate 10 gigawatts of solar power and bring electricity access to 250 million people across the region.
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