AI & Digital Development: Mauritania and the World Bank agreed to add financing to expand the West Africa Regional Digital Integration Program, adding AI data infrastructure, local skills training and AI-powered systems across sectors. Migration & Border Economy: Mauritania’s tougher border controls are sharply reducing migrant departures from Nouadhibou and the wider coast, with EU-backed patrols and arrests changing the economics of smuggling and leaving many would-be migrants stuck in limbo. Music Industry Expansion: Def Jam Recordings launched in North Africa from Casablanca, covering Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania, aiming to build talent pipelines and distribution across the region. Mining & Investment: Montage Gold reported higher Koné project resources, lifting satellite deposits and overall M&I resources, signaling more room for future production planning. Structured Finance for Growth: NAB Consulting completed a €250m structured finance facility for Niger via Afreximbank and Coris Bank Niger, targeting agriculture, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and SME-focused development. Fraud & Cross-Border Crime: A Nigerian police case linked a transnational fraud syndicate to online direction from Malaysia, including an alleged plot involving a Mauritanian national. Tourism Push: Mauritania is pitching itself as an “authentic tourism frontier,” with the Eye of Africa and desert hospitality drawing attention from travelers and investors.