The CFR, titled Mobilising Mauritius’ Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World, reviews the country’s recent macroeconomic performance and outlook, quantifies its development financing gap, and proposes reforms to strengthen financial systems in a rapidly changing global environment.
The report projects that economic growth in Mauritius will slow to 3% in 2026 before recovering to 3.8% in 2027, supported by financial services, wholesale and retail trade, and tourism on the supply side, and by household consumption on the demand side.
Key growth drivers in 2025 included financial services, wholesale and retail trade, and tourism—with tourist arrivals reaching an all-time high of 1.44 million—while final consumption expenditure was the main contributor on the demand side.
However, the report cautions that structural bottlenecks are hindering deeper economic transformation and long-term economic growth. These include labour market rigidities, skills mismatches and an ageing population; infrastructure deficits in the water and energy supply and in port logistics; and gaps in information and communications technology (ICT).
Inflation is projected to accelerate to 5.7% in 2026 -- breaching the central bank’s monetary policy target range of 2-5% -- due to the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, before easing to 3.9% in 2027 as global commodity prices ease.
Despite the government’s strong commitment to fiscal consolidation, public debt remains elevated, constraining fiscal space. Nevertheless, the fiscal deficit is projected to narrow to 6% of GDP in 2026 and 3.7% in 2027 on the back of growth-friendly consolidation measures, with public debt projected to fall below 80% of GDP in 2029.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Kevin Urama, Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management, said: “By adopting good practices in domestic revenue mobilisation, improving efficiency in public expenditure planning, public finance and debt management, mobilising investment from Africa’s institutional investors, the African diaspora and high-net-worth individuals, and addressing informality, the continent can mobilise capital at scale to finance its development.”
In her welcoming remarks, Moono Mupotola, the Bank’s Deputy Director General for Southern Africa and Country Manager for Mauritius, said the Country Focus Report and the Mauritius Productivity Study are more than analytical publications: together, they provide an evidence-based roadmap for strengthening Mauritius' resilience, enhancing productivity, and mobilising the resources needed to achieve the country's long-term development ambitions.
“The recommendations presented are a call for collective action. Real progress will require continued collaboration between the public and private sectors, development partners, academia, civil society, and financial institutions to translate these ideas into concrete reforms, investments, and lasting results. By building on its strong institutional foundations and embracing the reforms outlined in these studies, Mauritius is well positioned to strengthen its competitiveness and secure economic transformation,” Mupotola said.
The Bank also presented the key findings of the Mauritius Productivity Study, commissioned to inform the preparation of the Mauritius Vision 2050 and the Ten-Year National Development Plan. The study assesses the causes of productivity slowdown and challenges hindering deeper structural transformation, and how to boost digitalisation, Industry 4.0 adoption and competitiveness. It identifies emerging growth pillars, including the ocean economy, the digital and knowledge economy, the circular economy, and the creative and cultural industries.
The Mauritius CFR 2026 report (https://apo-opa.co/4woGEqE) was presented by Wolassa Kumo, African Development Bank’s Principal Country Economist for Mauritius. Taruna Ramessur, Consultant and Associate Professor at the University of Mauritius, presented the key findings of the Mauritius Productivity Study.
The virtual launch brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, other government officials, development partners, private sector representatives, civil society, and senior officials from the Bank Group. They offered strategic insights on both reports.
Jamiil Jeetoo, UNDP National Economist for Mauritius and Seychelles, stressed that development finance should be assessed not only by the volume mobilised, but by the productivity and resilience it generates.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
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Emeka Anuforo
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org
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