Taqia Ould Abderrahmane, Director of Low-Carbon Hydrogen at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, stated that Mauritania’s energy sector is based on three main priorities: achieving universal access to reliable and affordable energy by 2030 with 50% reliance on renewable sources; stimulating industrial growth in sectors such as mining; and establishing the country as a regional and global energy hub.
In an interview with Energy Connect magazine, she emphasized that green hydrogen is at the heart of this vision, explaining that it provides a transformative pathway to a low-carbon future, helps create local jobs, and increases revenue through exports.
She noted that Mauritania is widely praised by international agencies for its significant potential in this field. The H2Atlas-Africa project ranked Mauritania first in Africa in terms of cost and potential for green hydrogen production, thanks to the integration of solar and wind energy, enabling the production of low-cost clean electricity.
She revealed that allocating only 5% of Mauritania’s coastline could enable the production of 12 million tons of hydrogen annually at competitive prices, giving the country a clear advantage in exporting to Europe and connecting with major global markets.
Ould Abderrahmane also highlighted that combining low-carbon hydrogen with abundant iron ore allows Mauritania to directly produce enriched iron locally, enhancing added value and placing it at the heart of the global low-carbon economy.
She pointed out that recent laws and reforms, including the Green Hydrogen Law and the 2022 National Roadmap, confirm Mauritania’s commitment to providing a transparent legal framework to attract investment. A comprehensive study conducted in cooperation with the World Bank in 2024, supported by the European Union, defined the necessary infrastructure requirements to host projects with a capacity of up to 80 gigawatts.
In conclusion, she emphasized that addressing infrastructure gaps and strengthening human capital are the most important challenges to overcome in order to achieve Mauritania’s ambitions to become a continental model for green hydrogen.
