Mauritania is exploring the potential of offshore gas production to meet domestic power demand by 2030 while supporting mining activities, particularly iron ore, according to Energy Minister Mohammed Ould Khaled. Speaking at the Invest in African Energy forum, he emphasized that the country could leverage the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project for electricity, despite its export-oriented nature. However, infrastructure development would be necessary, and a tender for a GTA-fired power plant is set to be launched soon.

Mauritania aims to become a regional energy hub within the next two decades and is planning a power link toward Western Sahara and Morocco. Its grid is already connected to Senegal and Mali. Private-sector investment will drive future power generation projects, with tax incentives supporting their development. Around 550MW of new capacity is expected to enter the domestic market in the coming years.

The country is also seeking partners to develop the Bir Allah gas field, a significant resource located 50km north of GTA. With estimated reserves of 50-60 trillion cubic feet, Bir Allah is three times larger than GTA. BP and Kosmos Energy initially signed an exploration agreement for the field in 2022, with BP planning to expand GTA’s production capacity. However, the status of their involvement in Bir Allah remains uncertain.