Cash
Works almost everywhere
The default for taxis, small shops, markets, guesthouses, fuel, mechanics and most restaurants—especially outside the capital.
Cash · ATMs · Mobile wallets · Exchange
Money in Mauritania
Mauritania is highly digital—but through local payment systems, not universal Visa or Mastercard acceptance. Carry cash, use the cities to prepare and never enter a remote section with only one way to pay.
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Last updated · 30 August 2026
Quick answer
Money in Mauritania
Mauritania is highly digital—but through local payment systems, not universal Visa or Mastercard acceptance. Carry cash, use the cities to prepare and never enter a remote section with only one way to pay.
The local answer
Cash remains the safest universal option. Bankily, Click, Masrvi and Sedad are deeply woven into daily life, and some services even work on a basic phone without mobile data. International cards are a different story: a few hotels accept them, while guesthouses, fuel stations, small shops and most restaurants usually expect cash or a Mauritanian wallet.
“The problem is rarely the price. The problem is reaching the next town with no cash, no working ATM, no signal and no backup.”
What works—and where
Local mobile wallets
Common locally
Bankily, Click, Masrvi and Sedad are widely used, but the merchant and traveller need compatible local accounts or a supported payment flow.
Visa & Mastercard
Backup only
A few higher-end hotels may accept international cards. Never assume a restaurant, fuel station, auberge or rural business will do so.
Mauritania's local payment layer
Bankily, Click, Masrvi and Sedad support transfers, merchant payments, top-ups and other local transactions. They do not replace Visa or Mastercard: they are Mauritanian networks funded in MRU.
Bankily · *888#
Available without a smartphone or internet via USSD for Mattel subscribers.
Click · *789#
App, QR and offline USSD service; the merchant must accept Click.
Can a visitor open a local wallet?
In Mauritanian Eye's local experience, a foreign visitor can sometimes open an account while physically in the country. Requirements vary: a local number, identity document or passport, NNI or residence permit depending on the service, and sometimes in-branch validation. Allow time and ask which branch is used to handling foreign visitors.
Do not depend on a local wallet for the airport taxi or first night: immediate onboarding is not guaranteed.
The ATM reality
ATMs exist in Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, Atar and some regional centres, but their presence is not enough: a machine may be offline, empty or incompatible with your foreign card. Sometimes two, three or four banks must be tried.
Attijari Bank has often worked with cards tested by Maawiya, with no notable local fee observed. This is field experience, not a guarantee: your home bank, card network and the ATM may each apply fees or limits.
A safer withdrawal routine
Bring two physical cards if possible, issued by different banks. Keep them separately.
Enable international withdrawals and check your own bank's fees before departure.
Test a modest withdrawal early in Nouakchott or Nouadhibou—not on the morning you leave for the desert.
If one ATM refuses the card, try another bank. The fault may be the machine, its cash supply, the network or the card-bank pairing.
Withdraw the cash needed for the complete rural section before leaving the last major town.
Keep the card until the screen confirms the transaction has ended, and never share your PIN or one-time code.
Changing euros or dollars
Euros and US dollars are the easiest currencies to exchange. Prefer a bank, an official exchange bureau or a hotel that clearly offers the service. Central Nouakchott, particularly the Capitale area, has many exchange options.
Street exchange is common, but official travel guidance recommends regulated banks or bureaux. If you still choose a direct exchange, check the live rate, agree the net rate, count the notes calmly and never hand over your passport as security.
Quick conversion guide
10 MRU
≈ €0.21
≈ $0.25
50 MRU
≈ €1.07
≈ $1.25
200 MRU
≈ €4.28
≈ $5.00
500 MRU
≈ €10.70
≈ $12.50
1,000 MRU
≈ €21.40
≈ $25.00
Reference mid-market rates on 25 August 2026: €1 ≈ 46.7 MRU and $1 ≈ 40.0 MRU. The rate you receive will include a margin. Always check again on the day of exchange.
The zero that confuses almost everyone
In January 2018, the currency was redenominated: 10 old ouguiya (MRO) became 1 new ouguiya (MRU). The notes are new, but many people still naturally quote prices in the old unit.
Spoken price (old)
100
÷ 10
Amount due (MRU)
10 MRU
If a price sounds exactly ten times too high, simply ask: “old or new?”
How much cash should you carry?
There is no honest daily amount that suits everyone. An organised tour, an urban stay, an independent Adrar journey and a self-driven vehicle have completely different risks. The right calculation covers every cash-only expense until the next reliable ATM, then adds a genuinely untouched reserve.
Nights
Transport / fuel
Water and food
Guides / repairs
Build an emergency envelope
One unplanned ride back to the nearest reliable town
One night of simple accommodation plus food and water
Phone credit, a replacement SIM or help contacting someone
For drivers: extra fuel plus a minor repair, tow or emergency part
Split cash between your daily wallet, a discreet second location and this reserve. Never keep it all in one place.
The main risks are practical
Maawiya does not report a widespread counterfeit-note or exchange-scam problem. For a traveller, the common failures are more practical: a price quoted in old ouguiya, an assumed exchange rate, an empty ATM, an incompatible card or a transfer sent to the wrong number. Check the rate, recount the cash, confirm the recipient's name and keep every secret code private.
Tipping without overthinking it
Restaurant
30–50 MRU
≈ €0.65–€1.10
A welcome gesture for good service; never an automatic obligation.
Help or service
≈ 200 MRU
≈ €4.30
A generous baseline to thank someone for meaningful one-off help.
Multi-day guide
Match the effort
Give directly at the end
Adjust for duration, responsibility and quality—without making it disproportionate.
Money questions, answered
Can I travel through Mauritania using only Visa or Mastercard?
No. Some higher-end hotels and businesses in Nouakchott may accept international cards, but cash remains essential for taxis, guesthouses, fuel, markets, restaurants, mechanics and travel outside the main cities. Bring at least two cards from different networks or banks, but treat them as ways to obtain cash—not as universal payment tools.
Which ATM is most reliable for foreign cards?
No ATM or bank can be guaranteed for every foreign card. Attijari has worked well in Mauritanian Eye’s field experience, but acceptance depends on the issuing bank, card network, machine status and available cash. Withdraw during banking hours, start in a major city, keep time to try several banks and call the issuing bank if repeated declines occur.
Can a tourist use Bankily, Click, Masrvi or Sedad?
A visitor may be able to open a local wallet after arriving, but identity, SIM, residency or agency procedures can vary by provider and account level. Visit an official branch with your passport and local number and ask what functions are available to a non-resident. Do not transfer the whole travel budget until the account is fully active and you have tested a small payment and cash-out.
Where should I exchange euros or dollars?
Use a bank, licensed bureau or reputable hotel and compare the offered rate with the Central Bank or a live reference before agreeing. Informal street exchange exists, but carries legal, personal-safety, counterfeit and dispute risks. Count the notes discreetly, clarify whether the quote is in current MRU or old ouguiya and keep the receipt when one is issued.
Why does a price sometimes sound ten times too high?
Mauritania redenominated its currency in January 2018 by removing one zero: 10 old ouguiya became 1 current MRU. Everyday speech still often uses the old unit. If a bottle is quoted at “100,” the seller may mean 10 MRU rather than overcharging. Repeat the amount with “MRU” or ask “old or new?” before paying; never assume from the number alone.
How much cash should I carry?
There is no honest universal amount. Calculate confirmed accommodation, transport, fuel, meals and guide costs, then add a delay or repair reserve that is kept separate from daily spending. Before a remote section, carry enough to reach the next dependable banking point even if one ATM is empty or offline. Split cash between secure places and never display the full reserve.