The Mauritanian government approved a draft budget for 2027 on Wednesday, 21 October, providing for an overall surplus of 6.2 billion ouguiyas. In Nouakchott, the Council of Ministers retained 152.11 billion ouguiyas in revenue and grants, for 145.91 billion in expenditure and net lending.
The projected overall surplus masks another constraint on public finances. Excluding extractive revenues, the primary balance, including grants, would remain in deficit by 21.03 billion ouguiyas in 2027, compared with 22.18 billion in 2026. The executive intends to comply with a budget rule that brings this primary deficit excluding extractive resources to 3.5% of nominal gross domestic product, after 4% in 2026.
The government bases its forecasts on economic growth of 5% and inflation of 3.3% in 2027.
The draft specifically cites 11.59 billion ouguiyas for the second phase of the Nouakchott development programme. It also falls within the continuation of a programme providing access to essential services, funded with 26.4 billion over the whole period 2025-2027.