Ahmeyim Gas: A Turning Point in Mauritania’s Economy?

Ahmeyim Gas: A Turning Point in Mauritania’s Economy?

With Senegal announcing the shipment of its first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the joint “Ahmeyim” field shared with Mauritania, a critical question arises: where does Mauritania stand in this achievement?

Although the field is officially a joint venture between the two countries, the media initiative came solely from the Senegalese side, with no parallel official statement from Nouakchott. This raises questions about Mauritania’s actual involvement in this initial phase of production and to what extent it is benefiting economically from the operation.

According to data released by Senegal’s Ministry of Energy, both countries are entering the global gas market. However, there was no clarification on the size or timing of the expected revenues for each party — particularly for Mauritania, which is counting on this project to boost its income and enhance its position in the energy sector.

The ongoing construction work on the project’s facilities may indicate that Mauritania has not yet begun exporting or that its infrastructure remains incomplete. This adds to the uncertainty surrounding its readiness compared to its Senegalese counterpart.

Has Mauritania fallen behind in the logistical and technical aspects of the project? Does it have a clear plan to secure its fair share of the gas revenues? These questions remain open in the absence of any official comment from the Mauritanian side thus far.