Just Landed in Mauritania? Your First 7 Days

Three operators cover Mauritania: Mauritel (branded Moov), Mattel and Chinguitel. Mauritel has by far the strongest and widest network, with usable 4G across Nouakchott and Nouadhibou but patchy, route-dependent coverage in the desert interior. A little 5G is appearing in central Nouakchott and Nouadhibou but remains very limited, so do not count on it. SIMs are prepaid and must be registered against your passport.

Typical cost: A Mauritel SIM starts around 50 MRU and a Mattel SIM around 200 MRU. Monthly data bundles of roughly 6-20 GB are the useful ones for a resident, and prices are low by international standards but speeds and reliability are modest, dropping sharply once you leave the two main cities. Keep a bundle topped up because WhatsApp calls are how most people communicate.

Mauritania is overwhelmingly a cash economy in ouguiya (MRU). Card acceptance is rare outside large hotels and a few Nouakchott supermarkets, mobile payments are not mainstream, and ATMs are frequently empty or offline, so you should always carry enough cash and keep a foreign-currency reserve. Plan your withdrawals around working ATMs rather than assuming one will be available when you need it.

Opening an account: Foreigners can open an account at banks such as Banque Nationale de Mauritanie (BNM), Société Générale Mauritanie, BMCI or Attijari Bank Mauritanie, which has one of the larger branch networks. Expect to provide your passport, your residence permit or proof of legal status, a local address and often an employer letter or reference. Before you hold a carte de séjour, a foreign-currency account may be the only option, and processing tends to be slow and document-heavy.

Cash: Prices are quoted and paid in cash, so keep a range of small notes for taxis, markets and daily shopping where change can be scarce. The ouguiya was redenominated in 2018, and older prices are sometimes still quoted in the retired 'old ouguiya' (worth one tenth of the new unit), so always confirm which unit a figure is in before you hand over money.

Tipping: Tipping is modest and not obligatory. Rounding up or leaving 5-10% at a restaurant is appreciated, and a small tip to porters, guards, guides and drivers who help you is customary. Keep coins and small notes for this, as it smooths a great deal of daily interaction.

Foreigners intending to reside in Mauritania must obtain a residence permit (carte de séjour) after arriving on the appropriate entry visa. It is issued by the immigration authorities within the Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale, and it links you to a fixed address, so registration of where you live is effectively bundled into the permit process rather than being a separate town-hall step. For work postings the employer usually drives the application, gathering your passport, photos, work authorisation and proof of address and dealing with the offices on your behalf. Build in time, as the process is bureaucratic, paper-based and prone to delays, and keep photocopies of everything you submit.

Deadline: Apply well before your entry visa or 90-day stay expires; treat the first few weeks after arrival as the window to start the process rather than something to leave until later.

Where: The immigration and national security offices (Sûreté Nationale) in Nouakchott handle residence permits. Your employer or a local sponsor typically assists with, or manages, the paperwork and the visits in person.

There is no metro and no formal ride-hailing app network. Getting around Nouakchott means shared and private taxis (green cabs) that you flag on the street and negotiate before boarding, plus some minibuses on set routes. Long-distance travel uses shared bush taxis and buses between towns, and a 4x4 is standard for any desert route. Traffic is chaotic, sand drifts across roads, and many streets are unnamed, so navigate by landmark.

From the airport: Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport (NKC) sits roughly 25 km north of the city centre. There is no train or airport bus, so arrange a hotel or employer pickup in advance where possible, or take a taxi from the rank. Agree the fare before you set off, as there are no meters, and expect it to run to a few hundred MRU depending on your destination and bargaining.

Most expats rent villas or flats in Nouakchott districts such as Tevragh Zeina and Ksar, usually found through employers, personal contacts and local agents rather than property websites. Furnished, walled and often guarded compounds are common for foreign staff, and security features (a wall, a gate, a guardian) are a normal part of the rental rather than a luxury. Standards vary widely, so view in person before committing.

Typical rent: A furnished flat or small villa in a good Nouakchott area typically runs from around 15,000 to 40,000+ MRU per month, with higher-end secured villas costing considerably more. Simpler flats in less central areas start well below that. Rents are often quoted and paid in cash, and negotiation is expected.

Deposit norm: Landlords commonly ask for one to three months' rent upfront, and paying several months in advance is not unusual. Get any agreement in writing in French or Arabic, confirm exactly what is included (furniture, generator, guardian, water), and keep a copy, since verbal deals leave you exposed.

Medical facilities are limited and generally below Western standards, even in Nouakchott, and are more basic still elsewhere in the country. Serious illness or injury usually requires medical evacuation to Morocco, the Canary Islands or Europe, so being in Mauritania without evacuation cover is a real risk rather than a formality. Emergency ambulance response (101) can be slow or unreliable.

How to access it: For routine care, expats use private clinics and a handful of better-regarded facilities in Nouakchott, paying in cash at the point of service and claiming back later on insurance. Bring a personal supply of any prescription medicines and their generic names, as pharmacies stock a narrow range and specific brands are often unavailable. Keep vaccinations up to date and take malaria precautions in the south.

Insurance: International private health insurance that explicitly includes medical evacuation and repatriation is essential, not optional. Confirm in writing that your policy names Mauritania, covers air evacuation and has a 24-hour assistance line, and carry the policy number and emergency number with you at all times.

• Greet warmly and take time over it; a rushed transaction can read as rude, and greetings often precede any request or business.
• Use your right hand for eating, giving and receiving, as the left hand is considered unclean; eat from the communal dish with your right hand.
• Dress modestly in loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees, and more conservatively still for women, especially outside expat circles.
• Accept offered tea whenever you can; the three-round green tea ritual is a cornerstone of hospitality and refusing it outright can cause offence.
• Respect Islamic practice: expect a slower pace on Fridays and around prayer times, and a quieter, adjusted rhythm throughout Ramadan.
• During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight fasting hours, even if you are not fasting yourself.
• Show respect to elders and hosts, remove shoes when entering homes if others do, and accept hospitality graciously rather than reaching for your wallet.

• Alcohol is prohibited and largely unavailable; do not attempt to import, buy or openly consume it.
• Always ask before photographing people, and never photograph government buildings, ports, military sites, checkpoints or the presidential palace.
• Public displays of affection are frowned upon, and same-sex relationships are illegal and socially unacceptable, so be discreet.
• Some border regions and the eastern desert carry serious terrorism and kidnapping risks; check official advisories before any travel outside the main cities.
• Slavery, though legally abolished, still shadows Mauritanian society; it is a sensitive subject, so tread carefully and avoid casual commentary.