Mauritania Announces New Cabinet: Who Will Lead Finance, Health, Education and Digital Transformation?
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Dhivyanshu
- . October 11, 2026
- . Update: October 11, 2026 6:10 pm
This weekend, President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani officially installed a new government, led by Prime Minister El Moctar Ould Djay, which consists of 29 members, some of whom are new. The broad reshuffle comes in response to the sudden resignation of the previous cabinet on Friday, due to a severe power crisis in the country.
Today Mauritania announces a new cabinet, and international investors and citizens are keeping an eye on the appointments that will take place in key growth sectors. The rapid political change is a direct result of the people’s reaction to a critical independent report on the country’s recent 5-day-long electricity blackout in Nouakchott. The political change is timely as it addresses the people’s reaction after a damning independent report on the recent 5-day electricity blackout in Nouakchott.
The state press agency Mauritanian News Agency (AMI) said President Ghazouani has tasked the new government to put in place his “My Ambition for the Nation” socio-economic program right away. This approach is focused on safeguarding the most vulnerable groups from global inflation.
Stabilizing the Economy: Finance and Digital Transformation
The presidency, however, chose to maintain continuity in the key economic ministries in the wake of the overall political realignment in the security ministries. The minister of finance, Codioro Moussa N’Guenore, has kept his critical role officially as minister, despite the situation being extremely difficult. He has been engaged in active negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to resolve the country’s structural issues and to handle its fiscal deficit for 2026.
Likewise, Minister of Digital Transformation and Modernization of the Administration, Ahmed Salem Ould Bede is still in office. The reappointment reiterates the government’s continued efforts to digitise the national social registry. Recent data from the World bank on infrastructure development indicates that the need to increase broadband access and the use of digital public services in rural areas is a key enabler for long-term economic diversification of Mauritania.
Overhauling Social Infrastructure: Health and Education
The leadership portfolios in other economic ministries and departments did not change much, whereas the Minister of Health had his portfolio savaged. The health sector, which suffered from immediate leadership changes after the recent infrastructure collapse, joins defense, interior, and Islamic affairs sectors in having bad service failures and in need of hospital readiness, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
On the other hand, Houda Mint Babah will certainly go on being the Minister of Education and Educational Reform with self-confidence. Academic skills are seen as essential in the face of the country’s current push for structural reform in public education to modernise the education system, to incorporate specialised vocational training, and to boost the youth’s literacy levels across the nation.
What Triggered the New Government Shakeup?
However, the tipping point for this hasty administration shake-up was a voluminous investigation report released late last week. According to Financial Afrik, an independent commission concluded that the fires burning at the two main electricity substations were due to low-quality equipment brought in by a private contractor in Nouakchott.
This five-day blackout paralyzed businesses and hospitals, and left the capital’s infrastructure crippled. That proved to be a setback for PM El Moctar Ould Djay who had to give up his government on Friday, Oct. 9, only to be reappointed immediately to salvage the situation.
The Mauritanian state will replace sensitive infrastructure ministries quickly and protect its financial leadership by bypassing the vulnerable ministries to restore public trust as soon as possible. In the end, the government’s success in the short term will be greatly dependent on the ability to address the current energy crisis and bring in foreign investment for its long-term technological and educational progress.
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