EIB Global and African Development Bank invest US$ 275 million to modernise Mauritania’s main railway corridor

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• US$ 150 million from the African Development Bank and US$ 125 million from EIB Global, guaranteed by the European Union, to modernise Mauritania’s main railway corridor
• The landmark project will expand and rehabilitate the Zouerate–Nouadhibou line, strengthen Mauritania’s competitiveness, support green growth, and boost regional integration
• A joint operation aligned with the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy and Mauritania’s industrial development priorities

On the sidelines of the Africa Investment Forum 2025, the European Investment Bank (EIB Global) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed a joint financing package of US$ 275 million to modernise Mauritania’s main railway corridor linking the iron ore mining hub of Zouerate to the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou.

The investment includes loans of US$ 150 million from the African Development Bank and US$ 125 million from EIB Global, guaranteed by the European Union. Both operations are private sector, non-sovereign financings provided directly to the Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), reaffirming the partners’ shared commitment to catalysing corporate investment and supporting commercially viable infrastructure in Africa. It will finance the rehabilitation of the existing railway, the construction of 42 kilometres of new track connecting future mining sites at El Aouj and Atomai, and the acquisition of modern locomotives, wagons, and maintenance equipment. This vital operation, in line with the EU Global Gateway strategy of investments in transformative infrastructures, will connect Mauritania’s main mining region with its export terminal, playing a central role in the country’s economy and integration into global value chains.

The project is implemented by the Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), Mauritania’s largest employer, and a key driver of national development. It will increase transport capacity, reduce fuel consumption, and improve safety and reliability along a corridor that carries the backbone of the country’s export economy.

Mohamed Vall Mohamed Telmidy, CEO and Board Member of SNIM, said: “The initiative to improve our logistics chain represents an important pillar of our strategic program. Its development contributes to the realization of our production objectives. We are particularly grateful to our partners EIB Global and AfDB for their unwavering support.”

President Sidi Ould Tah of the African Development Bank Group said: “This financing marks an important milestone for Mauritania and for the African Development Bank. By supporting SNIM through a corporate, non-sovereign loan, we are demonstrating our determination to scale up private sector investment in strategic value chains. Modernising this railway will unlock new opportunities for industry, strengthen Mauritania’s role in regional trade, and accelerate the country’s transition toward more sustainable and competitive growth.”

Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, said: “This project will reinforce SNIM’s transport corridor, boost exports, and support the country’s economic development. Just a few days after the successful AU-EU Summit in Luanda, it is a strong example of how the European Union and the EIB, working with African partners, deliver on the Global Gateway strategy.”

“This joint operation illustrates the African Development Bank’s strong partnership with Mauritania and our shared commitment to building resilient, low-carbon infrastructure,” said Solomon Quaynor, AfDB’s Vice-President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization. “By improving the Zouerate–Nouadhibou railway, we are not only enhancing competitiveness and trade, but also laying the groundwork for greener, more inclusive growth across the country.”

Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships, said: “Mauritania was the first country I visited under my mandate, and already then, I saw the potential of our strategic and mutually beneficial partnership. With this major investment in strategic infrastructure, we are unlocking new opportunities for Mauritania and for Europe and deepening our partnership. By connecting the mining region with global markets, this project illustrates what Global Gateway delivers: local growth, new jobs, and sustainable development.”

The upgraded railway will also create jobs, enhance regional connectivity, and increase resilience to climate risks, helping Mauritania consolidate its position as a key partner in the Sahel region’s sustainable industrial transformation.

The operation is a flagship under the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, which promotes sustainable infrastructure investment and responsible value chains for strategic industrial materials and job opportunities. It supports Mauritania’s efforts to expand production and exports while improving environmental and social sustainability across its mining and transport sectors.

Background information

About EIB Global

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives.

EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world. High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

http://twitter.com/EIB 

About Global Gateway:

Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean, and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education, and research systems.

The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, we aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.

For more information: https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/

About the African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF), and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

For more information: www.afdb.org 

About SNIM

Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) is a Mauritanian company, operating in the research, exploitation, processing, transport and export of iron ore. Its deposits are located in the Tiris Zemour region, in the north of Mauritania.

SNIM fully manages its chain of operations. It owns and operates a railway line, over 700 km long, mainly used for the transport of iron ore.

With more than 60 years of experience in the mining sector, SNIM is a real engine of the Mauritanian economy.