Extending the Reach and Reducing the Costs of Broadband Communications in Mauritania

Challenge

Mauritania had limited access to international connectivity. Therefore, the cost of Internet services was high and of low quality. In December 2012 when the WARCIP implementation began, the mobile broadband penetration rate stood at 3 percent. Indeed, several areas of the country were deprived of telephone and Internet services. The country’s regulatory and institutional capacity needed to be strengthened to meet the demands of the growing information and communication technologies (ICT) market. Furthermore, investments by telecommunications operators and Internet service providers were very limited. Thus, the WARCIP aimed to increase the geographical reach of broadband networks, while also reducing the costs of communications services. 

Approach

The WARCIP sought to increase the geographical reach of broadband networks, as well as reduce the cost of communications services in West Africa. This goal was achieved through the deployment of approximately 1,700 km of fiber optic cable, thus allowing broadband services to reach a portion of the population that was previously underserved and/or completely without broadband coverage. In addition, it allowed for the distribution of the international capacity from the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable to the population, while providing fair and competitive access to the infrastructure.

Results

Mauritania’s advantageous geographic location between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb means that it has enormous regional economic potential. The activities delivered under the WARCIP have already led to enormous improvements in the digital landscape in Mauritania, thereby allowing the country to cultivate the benefits of ICT for economic growth, job creation and regional integration. The results can be traced back to the beginning of quarter (Q)1 of 2021, which is when parts of the fiber optic backbone became operational.

• The project also made contributions through technical assistance efforts to strengthen the governance of the telecommunications sector, specifically by helping to develop the legal and regulatory framework. It facilitated the preparation of strategic studies to promote broadband and universal access. It also supported the regulation of licensing, as well as infrastructure sharing and capacity building for key institutions. 
• The project allowed Mauritania to promote private sector participation in economic activities, helping it to foster investments from telecommunications operators and Internet service providers through participative institutional arrangements (namely, PPPs).
• The project has contributed to extending connectivity to previously underserved or unserved areas through the deployment of 1,700 km of strategic fiber optic links. The first link of 531 km connected the cities of Atar, Choum, and Nouakchott. The second link of 723 km connected the cities of Boghé, Kaédi, Kiffa, Rosso and Selibaby.  The third link of 280 km connected Aioum to Nema. The fourth link of 43 km connected Selibaby to the border with Mali.  Finally, a fiber optic loop link in the capital, Nouakchott, provided the necessary backhaul capabilities to efficiently distribute the international capacity from the newly deployed ACE cable connection. In addition, it allowed the telecommunications operators in Mauritania to extend the 4G mobile broadband throughout the territory that had otherwise been limited in terms of mobile connectivity. As a result, this milestone will promote the development of productive cities, allow all parts of the country to contribute to economic activity, as well as generate additional revenues. Indeed, the total revenues of the deployed backbone for 2021 and Q1 of 2022 amounted to US$2,132,935.
• The new digital infrastructure contributed to reducing the cost of connectivity by: (i) allowing for a more affordable international connectivity  through the ACE submarine cable connection to reach other areas of Mauritania through an open access backbone; (ii) improving national traffic through higher bandwidth capacity of the deployed fiber optic links; and (iii) improving the routing of national Internet traffic, thereby reducing the cost of Internet Protocol (IP) transit through the deployment of an Internet Exchange Point (IXP). These benefits translate into more affordable retail prices for communication services to end users. As such, they also help to drive the increased adoption of digital technologies. 

The project established an environment conducive to digital transformation in Mauritania by supporting the legal and regulatory framework, as well as the deployment of broadband infrastructure that is essential to the country’s socioeconomic transformation, innovation, and job creation, particularly for women and youth. Broadband became more available, accessible, and affordable thanks to the activities financed by the WARCIP. For example, the average monthly price of wholesale broadband access decreased from US$7,000 a month at the beginning of the project to US$54.70 at project closure, as compared to a target of US$250 (for 2 megabits [Mbit/s]) — far exceeding all expectations. Access to broadband Internet services increased greatly from a baseline of 2 percent to 71 percent, again far exceeding the expected target of 11 percent. In addition, the number of localities connected to broadband has increased significantly from 144 to 221, as compared to a target of 200. These improvements also resulted in better opportunities for the Mauritanian population, positively impacting university networks, incubation hubs, and startups, thereby promising a substantial increase in available, higher quality job opportunities, as well as increased adoption of digital financial services, such as mobile money platforms and mobile banking. 

World Bank Group Contribution

The WARCIP was financed by an International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$30 million to expand the geographical coverage of broadband networks and reduce the costs of communications services in Mauritania. 

Partners

The fiber optics links of the national backbone built under the WARCIP were transferred to the National Company for the Development of Digital Infrastructures (SDIN).  They were then made available to the International Mauritania Telecom (IMT) company to ensure operations under a PPP. The WARCIP Project also included a feasibility study to implement a carrier hotel/data center, which would allow for the hosting of the platforms of public and private content providers in Mauritania, thereby increasing the availability and resilience of local content and promoting private investment in digital technology. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is financing the construction of the data center (in the amount of €15 million), building on feasibility studies funded by the World Bank through the WARCIP.

Looking Ahead 

The Government of Mauritania expressed an interest in participating in the World Bank’s West Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (WARDIP). The new project focuses on further expanding the coverage of broadband networks, including: (i) the diversification of access to the international submarine cable by linking the ACE submarine cable landing station to the new cable under preparation; (ii) the deployment of missing cross-border links and connectivity infrastructure in nationally lagging regions, as well as the coverage of border areas.  It also builds on the capacity brought by key infrastructure deployed during the WARCIP (including the backbone, Internet Exchange Point [IXP], and data center), as well as the strategic studies to enable the development of e-Government and Distributed File System (DFS) services and the promotion of digital skills, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Beneficiary Story/Quote

“The most significant component of the WARCIP Project is its … construction of the mission links of the national backbone. The component is part of one of the most important axes of the department’s action plan, which is the development of digital infrastructure. The development of these infrastructures is based primarily on the construction of high-speed fiber optic networks.”

Mohamed Lemine Salihi, Project Implementation Unit Coordinator for the WARCIP