Mauritania: Telecom operators ordered to improve services by September 22 or face heavy penalties

Mauritania’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and Modernization of Administration has mandated that telecom operators improve the quality of their services by September 22, 2024, or face substantial financial and administrative penalties.
The ministry’s memorandum outlined potential sanctions, including a reduction of up to three months from the duration of existing licenses and fines of up to MRU 530 million. This decision follows an inspection by the regulatory authority conducted from August 1 to September 7, 2023, which revealed a significant drop in service quality from several companies across various regions.
The ministry noted that the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) had previously issued warnings, requiring operators to meet quality standards within 30 days. The National Regulatory Council observed that shortcomings were largely due to insufficient investment by telecom companies in service improvements. Consequently, the ministry has given operators a final opportunity to address these issues, stressing that failure to comply will result in severe penalties.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation and Modernization of Administration emphasized the government’s dedication to enhancing telecommunications services and fostering investment to better meet the needs of citizens.