Mauritanie: Selling and Buying

Reaching the Consumers

Marketing Opportunities

Consumer Behavior

In the buying decision of the Mauritanian customer price is the determining factor. Another important reason which can prompt a purchase is the existence of after-sales service.

Consumer Profile and Purchasing Power

The Mauritanian population is young (64% is less than 25 years old). It's a country where 40% of the population lives below the poverty threshold. Consequently, buying power is rather weak. The economic growth of the recent years has nevertheless created a more affluent class, which likes to consume highly innovative foreign products.

Main Advertising Agencies

Mauritanian marketing and PR agencies - contact list

Distributing a Product

Market Shares

Imports are controled by wholesalers close to the power circles. The majority of the products is then distributed in small stalls or by sellers established in markets in Nouakchott and other big cities. The informal sector remains very imporant and involved in the sale of most of the products, from livestock to spare parts. Finally, middle-sized shops and small "supermarkets" are very popular, especially in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou.

Organizations in the Retail Sector

Buy USA guide to Mauritania

Market Access Procedures

International Conventions

Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

Main International Economic Cooperation

Since the 1990s, Mauritania has been implementing economic reforms trying to liberalise its economy, increase the competitivity of its exports and reinforce its legislative framework. The prices were liberalised, barriers to trading were lifted, fiscal policy and custom duty procedures were reformed.

Mauritania is a member of the WTO (original member). It grants most-favored-nation treatment to the group of its commercial partners and has consolidated 41% of its tarif lines, that is to say the rates applied cannot be increased unless Mauritania compensates the affected partners. On the regional level, Mauritania is a part of the AMU (Arab Maghreb Union), the aim of which, to achieve free movement of persons, services, merchandise and capital, is for the moment only a project. Mauritania has also concluded bilateral trade agreements with Algeria, Egypt, Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, but the level of preference tariffs is yet to be established. Notably towards the European Union and the United States Mauritania benefits from preferential regime as part of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP).

Non Tariff Barriers

Mauritania does not apply specific commercial policy to the different sectors. Restrictions are few and aim first of all to maintain security, public order and health. The country has little recourse to quantitative barriers and import licences. Non-tariff barriers are often limited to payment delays applied by local banks to providers.

Every year, the Direction of Agriculture deploys enormous means to fight against organisms harmful to crops. In order to do this, a phytosanitary control of vegetables and vegetable products has been set up at the point of their importation into Mauritania (see the list of products subject to phytosanitary mesures).

Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

20%, Mauritania remains a country with high custom duty tariffs in comparison with its neighbors.

List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties and local taxes.

Customs Classification

Custom procedures has been simplified, custom duty rates rationalised and the majority of non-tariff mesures eliminated. The customs nomenclature corresponds to the harmonised system established by the WTO.
All products entering the territory are subject to declaration. These are managed by an informatised system, SYDONIA, and treated on the spot by the Customs offices, except for when they are not informatised, in the case of which they are treated again by the General Customs Direction. Imports in the amount exceeding 5000 USD are controled by the General Surveillance Society (Société Générale de Surveillance, SGS). The applied custom duty tariffs are ad-valorem taxes.
The evaluation of the value of products is based on transactional value, except for used cars, where the minimal importation value continues to be used. There are three different custom duty rates: normal rate of 20%, minimal rate of 5% applicable to countries benefiting from the Most-favored-nation clause, and a 0% rate applied to certain products, notably those of vital need. Custom duty is progressive according to the level of transformation of the product.       
Together with customs duty, the majority of imported products are subjected to statistical tax of 3%. Some agricultural products are also subjected to seasonal levies.
Exonerations and exemptions of custums duty and importation tax, as well as discounts, are sometimes practiced.

Import Procedures

The following documents required for imports:

 

-commercial invoice with the name and address of the buyer and the seller, the date and place where it was written, transport means, quantity, description of merchandise and conditions of delivery and payment.
-bill of landing or a certificate of origin
-inspection certificate, delivered by the Société Générale de Surveillance
Importers require an inspection before shipping and a control of quality. An inspection certificate must be provided for all imported goods.

Importing Samples

Samples imported for commercial reasons are exempted from tax. These goods must enter using the ATA carnet which can be obtained at the International Chamber of Commerce Council.

For Further Information

Customs Office

Organizing Goods Transport

Main Useful Means of Transport

Many imported products come through the ports of Nouakchott or Nouadhibou. The roadway network is 10 300 km long, of which 2424 km are tared, 872 km are made of improved earth and 7001 km are trails. The network is dangerous, especially during nights and due to many wandering animals, absence of lighting and heavy-weight trucks parked on fire lanes. Riverway transportation is possible of the Senegal river. Concerning railroads, they serve the north of the coutry and are used essentially to convoy the extracted minerals from the different nothern mines.

Ports

The Maritime Affairs Research and Coordination Cell of the Ministry of Transportation

Airports

Directory of Mauritanian airports
Directory of Mauritanian airports

Sea Transport Organizations

Information about the autonomous ports of Nouadhibou and Nouakchott
Coordination Cell of Maritime Affairs supervised by the Ministry of Transports.

Air Transport Organizations

Coordination Cell for the new Nouakchott Airport, supervised by the Ministry of Transportation

Road Transport Organizations

General Directon of Road Transportation and the direction of roadway security, under the direction of Ministry of Transportation

Rail Transport Organizations

National Industrial and Mining Society managing the Zouérate-Nouadhibou line (in French)
Ministry of Equipment and Transportation

Identifying a Supplier

Type of Production

The dominant Mauritanian industries are of two kinds: mining activities and packaging of fish products.

To search directories by industry in Mauritania, check out our service Business directories.

Manufacturers Associations of the Main Industries

2 professional associations listed for Mauritania.
Choose your sector Justice, lawManufacture, metals, mining & quarrying

Trade Agencies and Their Representations Abroad

Mauritanian Chamber of Commece

Contact Your Commercial Representations in Mauritania

Egyptian Embassy in Mauritania
Villa NO.468 – Zeina Branch, Olympic Playground Street
176 Nouakchott
Phone: (00222) 5252192 - 5292026
Fax: (00222) 5255384

Enterprises Federation

Arab Forum for Young Entrepreneur

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