Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Yacoub Ould Amine said the number of higher-education students in Mauritania rose to 52,256 in 2026, adding that the higher-education enrolment rate has exceeded 10%.
Speaking at the government press conference, the minister said 22,700 students now receive university grants, compared with 6,800 in 2019, while the sector's budget has exceeded 23 billion ouguiyas.
He pointed to the expansion of higher-education institutions from 9 to 13 and an increase in the specialisations and courses on offer to more than 160, along with a rise in the number of lecturers and researchers.
Ould Amine said grants are awarded on criteria including social circumstances, academic achievement and academic excellence, taking decentralisation into account and supporting outstanding students at all university levels.
