Mauritania Pushes Ahead with Green Hydrogen Strategy Backed by AfDB

Mauritania has taken a significant step towards developing its green hydrogen sector after convening a high-level validation workshop in Nouakchott to finalise auction procedures, with support from the African Development Bank.

The two-day workshop, held on 14–15 April, forms part of the Bank’s “Support to Mauritania Green Hydrogen Sector Development Programme”, its first technical assistance initiative focused on green hydrogen in Africa.

Backed by the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, the programme aims to equip the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum with the regulatory, financial and institutional tools needed to scale the emerging sector.

Speaking at the event, Wale Shonibare said Mauritania was positioning itself as a future leader in green hydrogen development on the continent.

“Through this support, the African Development Bank is helping to lay the regulatory and institutional foundations needed to attract private capital, drive industrial transformation, and contribute to global decarbonisation efforts,” he said.

Since its launch in April 2025, the programme has focused on designing a tailored auction framework, establishing a country-specific legal structure, and developing standardised bidding documents. It also sets out a roadmap to guide implementation, marking a shift from policy ambition to bankable project delivery.

Taghiya Abdelrahman, head of the Low Carbon Hydrogen Directorate, said the government was committed to building a transparent and competitive investment environment.

“This auction mechanism represents a critical step toward unlocking our country’s vast renewable energy potential and translating it into sustainable industrial growth,” she said.

The workshop was preceded by capacity-building sessions aimed at strengthening institutional readiness across key areas, including auction design, infrastructure planning and financial structuring for hydrogen and power-to-X projects.

More than 25 senior officials attended, representing multiple ministries and state-owned entities, including the Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière and the Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures.

Freda Opoku described the meeting as a “critical milestone” in shaping a competitive and investment-ready procurement framework.

Mauritania has set an ambitious target to produce 12.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2035 and is a member of the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance, alongside countries including Egypt, Kenya and Morocco.

Feedback from the workshop will inform the final auction framework, paving the way for the rollout of a national procurement strategy aimed at positioning Mauritania as a frontier market for large-scale green hydrogen development.