Mauritania has inaugurated a new digital service centre in the southeastern town of Bassikounou as part of a national drive to expand access to online public services and narrow the country’s digital divide, authorities said.
The facility, opened on Monday, was funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and will provide free internet access and support for residents seeking to use government e-services, the Ministry of Digital Transformation said in a statement.
Users will be able to create and manage online accounts, navigate official administrative platforms and access digital services using internet-connected computers and tablets available on site.
Authorities said 20 young people from the local department had received training to assist residents at the centre, offering guidance to those unfamiliar with digital tools or online procedures.
Digital Transformation Minister Ahmed Salem Ould Bede described the initiative as part of a broader plan to ensure nationwide access to public services, regardless of location or digital literacy levels.
The Bassikounou facility follows the launch of similar centres in July 2025 in Teyarett, Arafat and Tevragh Zeina, on the outskirts of Nouakchott. Officials said those centres marked the first phase of a project intended to gradually expand to all municipalities across the country.
In December 2025, another centre was opened in Ouadane under the DIGITAL-Y project, implemented by Germany’s development agency GIZ, aimed at improving access to administrative services in vulnerable and remote areas.
Officials say the centres are designed to simplify bureaucratic procedures, reduce waiting times and limit the need for citizens to travel long distances to government offices a significant barrier in a vast desert country where infrastructure remains uneven.
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The rollout comes as Mauritania accelerates efforts to digitise public administration as part of a broader economic transformation strategy intended to modernise the state and improve service delivery.
However, connectivity remains a challenge.
According to the International Telecommunication Union’s ICT Development Index 2025, 3G networks cover 43.9 percent of the population, while 4G coverage reaches 73 percent. Internet penetration stands at 37.4 percent, highlighting persistent gaps in access.
Device ownership is another constraint. ITU data show that 79.1 percent of Mauritanians own a mobile phone, while World Bank figures indicate that 56.61 percent of people aged 15 and above had a smartphone at the end of 2024.
Beyond infrastructure and devices, affordability, network quality, connection reliability and digital literacy continue to influence uptake of online services. Trust in digital government platforms also plays a role in adoption rates, analysts say.
By offering in-person technical assistance and free equipment, the new centres aim to help bridge some of these barriers, particularly for residents without smartphones or with limited digital skills.
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Still, questions remain about how quickly the network of centres can expand and whether existing infrastructure can support increased demand for online services.
For many residents in remote regions such as Bassikounou, however, the facility represents a first step toward easier access to state services in a country where geography and limited connectivity have long constrained administrative inclusion.
