Sonatel, the Senegalese subsidiary of French giant Orange, Mauritania Submarine Link Consortium and Ireland-based EllaLink, have expressed interest in the project aiming to connect Mauritania to a second fiber optic submarine cable.
The Public Procurement Commission of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Modernization of Administration has confirmed the receipt of bids from all three companies. Launched in August by the Mauritanian government, the tender seeks to establish the cable, submarine equipment supply, reception infrastructure construction, connectivity service provision, network maintenance, etc. The project is expected to be completed in 24 to 36 months at the most.
Initiated in May 2022 as part of the "WARCIP Mauritania" project, supported by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, and contributing €10 million and €25 million respectively, the endeavor aims to expand high-capacity bandwidth networks and reduce communication service costs in Mauritania. This additional cable will enhance the country's digital infrastructure, complementing the existing "African Coast to Europe" (ACE) cable connected in 2011. The project is expected to deliver reliable, high-quality broadband Internet connectivity, fostering Mauritania's digital transformation.
As per the latest data from the Autorité de Régulation (ARE), Mauritania is projected to have 3.28 million Internet subscribers (fixed and mobile) in 2021, reflecting a penetration rate of 76%.