The project directly reflects one of the defining themes of this year’s MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power conference (Dakar, 1–3 December): how first-wave offshore gas production in the MSGBC basin is transitioning from export-oriented LNG development toward structured domestic offtake through bankable IPPs and utility-scale power generation.

The agreements – comprising a public-private partnership (PPP) and a power purchase agreement with national utility Somelec – were signed on June 30 in Nouakchott. Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani and ACWA Power Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan attended the signing ceremony, underscoring the strategic state-level importance of the project. US-based GE Vernova will supply the gas turbines, with financing support from the Saudi Fund for Development.

Mauritania’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Mohamed Ould Khaled, described the agreement as a “decisive turning point” for the country’s energy sector – a characterization that reflects a broader shift underway across the MSGBC region: the move from resource extraction toward domestic energy monetisation and industrial policy alignment.

The N’Diago IPP is particularly significant because it establishes Mauritania’s first structured domestic offtake mechanism for GTA gas. Since GTA Phase 1 – operated by bp and Kosmos Energy – began LNG exports in 2025 at 2.4 million tons per annum, production has been fully export-directed. The N’Diago plant introduces the first sanctioned diversion of that gas into domestic electricity generation, effectively creating a parallel value stream: export revenue on one hand, and domestic power system build-out on the other.

This dual-track model is central to the discussion emerging ahead of MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026, where policymakers and investors are increasingly focused on how LNG-producing states in the basin can preserve export revenues while unlocking domestic industrialization through gas-to-power integration.

The scale of the addition is also significant. Mauritania’s installed generation capacity is approximately 490 MW, with imported heavy fuel oil and diesel still accounting for more than half of national generation. Hydropower from the Senegal River Basin contributes 27%, wind 13% and solar 4%. At 230 MW, the N’Diago plant alone would almost double the country’s firm thermal capacity while displacing imported liquid fuels with domestically sourced gas.

The project also signals a broader investment shift toward structured IPP frameworks in Mauritania. Alongside N’Diago, a 365 MW CCGT project led by GoGas and Madkour and a 220 MW hybrid solar-wind PPP with IWA Green Energy are advancing, collectively supporting national targets of universal electricity access and a 50% renewable share by 2030. Within this evolving pipeline, N’Diago stands out as the first gas-to-power project directly anchored to domestic offshore production, offering a replicable contractual and financing template as additional resources – including the 80 tcf BirAllah gas field – come online.

For ACWA Power, the project expands its African footprint, which now spans more than $125 billion in investment commitments across 111 projects in 16 countries. The company has also recently signed $1.45 billion in Africa-focused financing agreements, reinforcing its role as a key private-sector developer in large-scale utility and energy infrastructure across the continent.

The MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference will examine these dynamics in depth, with dedicated discussions on gas-to-power deployment, IPP structuring and the mobilization of private capital for grid expansion and industrial energy supply. Mauritania’s N’Diago project provides a live case study of the basin’s emerging model: monetize offshore gas, secure domestic offtake and convert resource development into system-wide electrification.

Explore the full program and register at www.msgbcoilgasandpower.com, or contact sales@energycapitalpower.com to sponsor or participate as a delegate.