Mauritania Food Delivery App Business: Profitable Startup Model in 2025

Hamza was hungry. It was late evening in Nouakchott. The sun had set over the Atlantic, and the city lights were flickering on. He had just returned from work, exhausted from traffic along Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser.

All he wanted was a hot plate of thieboudienne: rice, fish, and vegetables, rich with flavor. But the thought of leaving his apartment again to pick it up? Too much. No app. No quick service. No driver to call. Just hunger and frustration.

That night, he thought to himself:

"If Dakar has food delivery apps. If even Bamako is seeing startups. Why can’t Nouakchott? Why can’t someone build a proper food delivery app in Mauritania?"

And that thought right there? That’s how many businesses are born. A small moment in daily life.

Why Is Food Delivery a Big Deal in Mauritania Right Now?

If you’ve lived in Mauritania, you know how things have changed in just a few years. Back then, people relied on word-of-mouth or simply walked to their favorite maquis or restaurant. Today, smartphones are everywhere. Students at the University of Nouakchott use them all day. Young workers scroll Instagram during lunch. Families in Tevragh-Zeina are trying out online services for the first time.

At the same time:

• Restaurants in Nouakchott want more visibility.
• People in Nouadhibou and Kaédi want convenience.
• Mobile money like Orange Money Mauritania is becoming a standard.

It all comes together into a perfect opportunity. That’s why the food delivery app business in Mauritania is no longer just an idea. It’s a profitable reality waiting to happen.

What Is a Food Delivery App in the Mauritanian Context?

Globally, we’ve seen Uber Eats, Grubhub delivery, and DoorDash food delivery transform the restaurant industry. But in Mauritania, it has to be local. It has to fit culture, lifestyle, and needs.

A food delivery app in Nouakchott could:

• Deliver traditional dishes like thieboudienne, mechoui, and couscous with lamb.
• Partner with popular tea sellers (“attaya”) for evening deliveries.
• Include street food vendors near Marché Capitale or Cinquième.

The model remains the same: connect customers, restaurants, and drivers through simple food ordering apps. But in Mauritania, success will come from adapting to local culture.

How Do You Start a Food Delivery App Business in Mauritania?

1 Spot the Local Gaps

Hamza didn’t want to build “another global app.” He wanted something that solved local pain points. He noticed:

• No delivery apps for traditional meals.
• Few restaurants in Tevragh-Zeina or Sebkha offered delivery.
• Busy office workers near Port de Pêche struggled to find lunch quickly.

This became his unique selling point.

2 Do Real Research

Forget surveys online. Hamza went directly to:

• Restaurants in Nouakchott, like small family eateries.
• Tea sellers in El Mina.
• Students around the university.

He asked simple questions: Would you use it? Would you pay for it?

Most said yes- if the service was affordable and reliable.

3 Handle Legal Requirements

Mauritania is opening up to digital businesses, but you still need to:

• Register your company.
• Get a commercial license.
• Ensure compliance with digital payments in Mauritania.
• Draft agreements with restaurants and drivers.

4 Budget It Right

What’s the cost of starting a food delivery app in Mauritania?

• Food delivery app development: $20k–$50k.
• Marketing in Nouakchott: $5k–$10k (flyers, social media, radio ads).
• Operations and staff: $1.5k–$3k per month.
• Driver incentives: a few thousand to kick-start.

Hamza realized it would take around $30k–$60k to start properly.

5 Build the App

The app had to be simple and light. The Internet isn’t always stable in Nouakchott. Some people use older phones. That meant:

• Fast loading.
• Menus in Arabic and French.
• Payment via cash and Orange Money.
• GPS tracking for trust.

He considered building it from scratch. But then he discovered Appicial Applications, a global food delivery app development company, which offered ready-made food delivery app development solutions—affordable, customizable, and ready for the Mauritanian market. That choice saved him months of work.

6 Recruit Restaurants and Drivers

Hamza’s next challenge was convincing restaurants.

He walked through Marché Capitale and spoke with vendors. He visited popular places near Cinquième. Many owners were skeptical. But when he explained:

• More orders.
• Mobile money payments.
• Marketing exposure through the app.

They agreed to test it.

Drivers too. Many young men with motorbikes or small cars saw it as a side hustle. He offered no commission for the first month. Soon, he had a network of restaurants and drivers.

7 Launch and Market It

No app survives without marketing. In Mauritania, word-of-mouth is powerful. But Hamza went further:

• Flyers at universities.
• Facebook and Instagram ads.
• Collaborations with Nouakchott food bloggers.
• Free delivery promotions for first orders.

Within weeks, orders started coming in. First slowly. Then faster.

8 Expand Beyond Nouakchott

Once Nouakchott stabilized, Hamza looked at Nouadhibou. A port city, full of workers who needed quick meals. Then he planned for Rosso and other towns.

The scalability of delivery apps in Mauritania was real.

How Do Food Delivery Apps in Mauritania Make Money?

The revenue model is simple but powerful:

• Restaurant commissions (15–25% per order).
• Delivery fees from customers.
• Advertising (restaurants paying for top spots).
• Subscription models (free delivery for premium users).

This is the same model used by giants like Grubhub delivery and the DoorDash delivery app. With proper execution, local startups can follow in their footsteps.

Also Read: Food Delivery in the Central African Republic: Opportunities for Startups

What Challenges Exist in Mauritania?

Running a food delivery app in Mauritania isn’t easy. Challenges include:

• Weak internet in smaller towns.
• Cash still dominates over mobile payments.
• Logistics with drivers in rural areas.
• Convincing traditional restaurants to join.

But with persistence, these challenges can be solved.

What’s the Future of Food Delivery in Mauritania in 2025?

Big things are coming.

• AI in food ordering apps → predicting popular dishes.
• Super apps in Africa → food, groceries, taxi, and courier all in one.
• Drone food delivery apps → not yet, but possible in the future.
• Digital transformation → Orange Money and fintech will push growth.

Mauritania is ready. The food delivery app development sector is about to boom, creating demand for strong partners like Appicial.

Why Appicial Applications Is the Smart Choice?

Hamza’s idea stayed a dream until he found the right tech partner.

Appicial Applications provided him with:

• Ready-made food delivery app.
• Customization for Arabic and French.
• GPS and mobile money integration.
• Full driver, customer, and restaurant platforms.

Without Appicial, launching would have taken a year. With them, he was up and running in weeks.

If you want to start a business like DoorDash food delivery or Grubhub delivery in Mauritania in 2025, Appicial Applications, the expert food delivery app development company, is the smartest way to go.

Author's Bio

Vinay Jain

Vinay Jain is the Founder at Grepix Infotech and brings over 12 years of entrepreneurial experience. His focus revolves around software & business development and customer satisfaction.