Country Profile on AI Governance: Mauritius

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. Southern Africa mean 2.04 · all 54 states mean 1.76.

1. S1.1

   National AI strategy existence

   Score 3 / 4

   Mauritius officially launched its National AI Strategy and FAIR Guidelines on 9 April 2026. The strategy provides a national roadmap for AI adoption and governance.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

2. S1.2

   Strategy adoption date

   Score 1 / 4

   National AI Strategy formally launched on 9 April 2026.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Adopted 2026-04: 2 months before 2026-06-30.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

3. S1.3

   Political commitment signals

   Score 4 / 4

   Government established an AI Unit, launched a National AI Strategy, and the Minister of ICT publicly committed to AI-driven economic transformation.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

4. S1.4

   Dedicated AI budget allocation

   Score 3 / 4

   Budget 2025/26 allocated Rs 25 million for the Public Sector AI Programme and created a dedicated AI Unit.

   Sources edbmauritius.org (opens in a new tab)

5. S1.5

   AU Continental AI Strategy alignment

   Score 3 / 4

   The strategy emphasizes ethical AI, inclusion, governance, skills development, innovation, and public-sector transformation, which closely mirrors priorities of the AU Continental AI Strategy.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

6. S1.6

   Multi-stakeholder consultation

   Score 4 / 4

   UNDP-supported consultations involved government, private sector, startups, academia, civil society, SMEs, telecom operators, and research institutions.

   Note: Mauritius is among the most advanced African small-island states in AI governance following the launch of its National AI Strategy 2025–2029 and FAIR Guidelines in April 2026.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

7. S1.7

   Sector prioritisation

   Score 3 / 4

   Strategy identifies sectors including health, agriculture, fintech, transport, manufacturing, education, tourism, and public services.

   Note: Strongest areas are political commitment, stakeholder engagement, and ethical governance.

   Sources oecd.ai (opens in a new tab)

8. S1.8

   Implementation roadmap

   Score 3 / 4

   National AI Strategy described as a comprehensive roadmap supported by implementation planning through the AI Unit and Digital Transformation Blueprint 2025–2029.

   Note: Areas requiring further evidence include monitoring, evaluation, and publication of implementation progress reports.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

9. S1.9

   Monitoring and evaluation framework

   Score 2 / 4

   FAIR Guidelines establish governance principles and oversight mechanisms, but publicly available evidence of active reporting remains limited.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

10. S1.10

    Strategy review mechanism

    Score 3 / 4

    FAIR governance framework and adaptive AI governance approach indicate mechanisms for ongoing review and updating of AI policy.

    Sources africanceo.com (opens in a new tab)

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. Southern Africa mean 1.43 · all 54 states mean 1.32.

1. G2.1

   AI-specific legislation

   Score 1 / 4

   Mauritius has launched a National AI Strategy and FAIR Guidelines, but no dedicated AI Act has yet been enacted. AI governance remains policy-based rather than legislative.

   Note: Mauritius has made significant progress through the National AI Strategy 2025–2029 and the FAIR Guidelines, but AI governance remains largely policy-driven rather than statute-driven.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

2. G2.2

   Data protection law status

   Score 4 / 4

   The Data Protection Act 2017 entered into force on 15 January 2018 and is enforced by the Data Protection Office and Commissioner.

   Note: The strongest governance institutions are the AI Unit and the Data Protection Office.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

3. G2.3

   DPA AI mandate

   Score 2 / 4

   No explicit statutory AI oversight mandate exists, but the Data Protection Office has issued guidance on AI and health data, showing active engagement with AI-related issues.

   Note: There is currently no dedicated AI legislation, no AI-specific enforcement record, and no publicly available evidence of AI-related IP law reform.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

4. G2.4

   DPA staffing and budget

   Score 0 / 4

   Staff categories are publicly listed, but current full-time staffing numbers and annual budget are not publicly available.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

5. G2.5

   AI regulatory body existence

   Score 3 / 4

   Mauritius has established an AI Unit within the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation to lead AI governance and implementation.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

6. G2.6

   Institutional design model

   Score 4 / 4

   AI governance is coordinated through the dedicated AI Unit while working alongside existing regulatory institutions such as the Data Protection Office.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

7. G2.7

   Malabo Convention ratification

   Score 1 / 4

   Mauritius has not ratified the Malabo Convention. No evidence of ratification or implementation was identified.

8. G2.8

   Enforcement actions taken

   Score 0 / 4

   No publicly documented AI-specific enforcement actions, fines, investigations, or remedial orders were identified.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

9. G2.9

   Extraterritorial provisions

   Score 2 / 4

   The Data Protection Act 2017 contains GDPR-inspired provisions that apply to processing of Mauritian citizens' data, providing partial coverage of foreign digital actors.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

10. G2.10

    IP framework for AI

    Score 1 / 4

    AI-generated content and intellectual property issues are being discussed within policy circles, but no formal legislative review or amendment process has been enacted.

    Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

Mean of the 9 scored indicators; 1 carries no score. Southern Africa mean 1.77 · all 54 states mean 1.51.

No score: 1 context only.

1. I3.1

   Data center count

   Score 2 / 4

   Mauritius hosts approximately four commercial carrier-neutral and enterprise data centres, including facilities operated by Mauritius Telecom and private providers.

   Note: Small but established data-centre ecosystem.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 4 (data centres).

   Sources datacentermap.com (opens in a new tab)

2. I3.2

   Data center capacity (MW)

   Score 4 / 4

   Publicly available estimates indicate total installed commercial data-centre capacity in the low double-digit MW range

   Note: Exact national figure not publicly reported.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources datacentermap.com (opens in a new tab)

3. I3.3

   Submarine cable landing points

   Score 3 / 4

   Mauritius is connected through multiple international submarine cables, including SAFE, LION, LION2, METISS and T3.

   Note: Strong international connectivity for a small island state.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. 4 cable systems (TeleGeography, accessed 2026-10-06).

   Sources submarinecablemap.com (opens in a new tab)

4. I3.4

   International bandwidth (Gbps)

   Score 0 / 4

   Capacity is provided through multiple submarine cable systems; aggregate national bandwidth is not publicly disclosed.

   Note: Record as "Unknown".

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources submarinecablemap.com (opens in a new tab)

5. I3.5

   Hyperscaler presence

   Score 2 / 4

   Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud provide services through local partners and edge connectivity, but no hyperscale cloud region exists in Mauritius.

   Note: Two major providers represented through local access.

   Sources azure.microsoft.com (opens in a new tab)

6. I3.6

   GPU/HPC access

   Score 2 / 4

   Universities and research institutions have limited HPC access; no national AI supercomputing facility currently exists.

   Note: Commercial and academic access exists but remains limited.

7. I3.7

   Data localisation provisions

   Score 2 / 4

   The Data Protection Act 2017 does not impose broad localisation requirements but includes sector-specific restrictions and safeguards.

   Note: Sectoral approach rather than comprehensive localisation.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

8. I3.8

   Cross-border data flow framework

   Score 4 / 4

   The Data Protection Act establishes detailed conditions for international data transfers, adequacy decisions and safeguards similar to GDPR principles

   Note: Comprehensive framework.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

9. I3.9

   Foreign AI surveillance spending

   ○Context only: Context flag outside the score

   No publicly documented expenditure on foreign AI surveillance technologies identified.

   Note: Record as Unknown.

   Scoring basis Context flag; outside the score.

10. I3.10

    Sovereign cloud initiatives

    Score 3 / 4

    Mauritius is developing government cloud and digital sovereignty initiatives through the Digital Transformation Blueprint and National AI Strategy.

    Note: Under development rather than fully operational.

    Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. Southern Africa mean 1.40 · all 54 states mean 1.20.

1. H4.1

   AI researchers per million

   Score 4 / 4

   AI research activity exists through the University of Mauritius, Middlesex University Mauritius and research centres, but remains relatively small.

   Note: Estimate based on publication and institutional data.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources uom.ac.mu (opens in a new tab)

2. H4.2

   DPA staff with AI competency

   Score 2 / 4

   No public evidence identifies dedicated AI specialists within the Data Protection Office.

   Note: Record as unknown where exact numbers are required.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

3. H4.3

   University AI programs

   Score 2 / 4

   At least four institutions offer AI, machine learning, data science, or related degree programmes.

   Note: Includes undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 4 (universities).

   Sources middlesex.mu (opens in a new tab)

4. H4.4

   African-authored AI publications

   Score 4 / 4

   Mauritian universities contribute AI and data science publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science.

   Note: Estimate based on recent publication output.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. 46.7 papers/yr ÷ 1.25m people = 37.46 per million (floors applied).

   Sources scopus.com (opens in a new tab)

5. H4.5

   AI patents filed

   Score 2 / 4

   Limited evidence of AI-specific patent filings in Mauritius

   Note: AI patent activity remains low.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources iponline.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

6. H4.6

   K-12 CS education

   Score 3 / 4

   Digital literacy and computing are integrated into the school curriculum and available throughout primary and secondary education.

   Note: Mandatory in some grades rather than nationwide computer science requirement.

   Sources education.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

7. H4.7

   AI workforce training programs

   Score 3 / 4

   National AI Strategy includes AI skills development initiatives, public-sector training and workforce upskilling programmes.

   Note: Programmes are underway but not yet nationwide at scale.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

8. H4.8

   Labour transition policy

   Score 2 / 4

   The National AI Strategy discusses workforce adaptation, future skills and labour market impacts but no standalone labour transition policy has yet been adopted.

   Note: Policy direction exists.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

9. H4.9

   Informal economy AI assessment

   Score 0 / 4

   No evidence of a dedicated government assessment of AI impacts on the informal economy.

   Note: No published assessment identified.

10. H4.10

    African language NLP coverage

    Score 4 / 4

    Limited NLP support exists for Mauritian Creole through academic and open-source projects.

    Note: Mauritian Creole is the principal language receiving NLP attention.

    Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 1 of 1 (languages supported / major languages), normalised 100. 100% of major domestic languages. Raw value read from the evidence: "Limited NLP support exists for Mauritian Creole through academic and open-source projects." [denominator (set by the editors, not taken from the profile text):. Checked against the evidence on 7 October 2026: confirmed.

    Sources masakhane.io (opens in a new tab)

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. Southern Africa mean 1.16 · all 54 states mean 1.05.

1. N5.1

   AI companies count

   Score 3 / 4

   Mauritius hosts a growing number of AI, data analytics, fintech AI, and software firms developing AI-enabled solutions.

   Note: Estimated based on Economic Development Board and startup ecosystem data.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources edbmauritius.org (opens in a new tab)

2. N5.2

   Private AI investment (USD)

   Score 2 / 4

   AI investment remains modest and is largely concentrated in fintech, ICT, and digital transformation startups.

   Note: Exact AI-only investment figures not publicly available

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources edbmauritius.org (opens in a new tab)

3. N5.3

   AI incubators/accelerators

   Score 3 / 4

   Mauritius hosts innovation hubs and accelerators supporting AI and digital startups, including initiatives supported by the Economic Development Board and innovation agencies.

   Note: Not exclusively AI-focused but support AI ventures.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources edbmauritius.org (opens in a new tab)

4. N5.4

   Regulatory sandbox (AI)

   Score 1 / 4

   No dedicated AI regulatory sandbox currently exists, although the National AI Strategy contemplates experimentation and innovation support mechanisms.

   Note: No operational AI sandbox identified.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

5. N5.5

   Government AI procurement

   Score 2 / 4

   Government agencies are beginning to adopt AI tools through digital transformation projects, but no formal domestic AI procurement framework has been identified.

   Note: Procurement occurs on a project basis.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

6. N5.6

   AI safety evaluation capacity

   Score 1 / 4

   Universities conduct AI-related research, but no dedicated national AI safety testing facility or accredited evaluation laboratory exists

   Note: Capacity remains limited.

   Sources uom.ac.mu (opens in a new tab)

7. N5.7

   ISO/IEC 42001 adoption

   Score 1 / 4

   Awareness of AI governance standards exists through the National AI Strategy and FAIR Guidelines, but evidence of widespread ISO/IEC 42001 certification is lacking.

   Note: Early stage adoption.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

8. N5.8

   Standards body AI competency

   Score 2 / 4

   The national standards ecosystem has begun engaging with AI governance and standards discussions through government-led AI initiatives.

   Note: No dedicated AI technical committee publicly identified

   Sources msb.mu (opens in a new tab)

9. N5.9

   AI risk assessment frameworks

   Score 1 / 4

   FAIR Guidelines provide principles for trustworthy and responsible AI but are not legally binding risk assessment frameworks.

   Note: Voluntary governance approach.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

10. N5.10

    University-industry AI partnerships

    Score 3 / 4

    Universities and industry collaborate on ICT, AI, data science and innovation projects through formal agreements and research partnerships.

    Note: Growing collaboration ecosystem.

    Sources uom.ac.mu (opens in a new tab)

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. Southern Africa mean 1.48 · all 54 states mean 1.26.

1. E6.1

   Algorithmic impact assessment

   Score 1 / 4

   The FAIR Guidelines encourage risk and impact assessments for AI systems but do not legally mandate algorithmic impact assessments

   Note: Voluntary rather than mandatory.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

2. E6.2

   Bias audit requirements

   Score 1 / 4

   FAIR Guidelines emphasize fairness and non-discrimination but do not impose mandatory bias auditing requirements.

   Note: Ethical recommendation only

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

3. E6.3

   Transparency obligations

   Score 2 / 4

   The Data Protection Act and FAIR Guidelines require transparency in automated processing involving personal data.

   Note: Limited legal transparency obligations exist.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

4. E6.4

   Citizen redress mechanism

   Score 2 / 4

   Individuals may lodge complaints with the Data Protection Commissioner regarding automated processing and personal data misuse.

   Note: No dedicated AI complaints mechanism.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

5. E6.5

   Judicial AI remedy

   Score 2 / 4

   Mauritian courts have jurisdiction over administrative, contractual, consumer protection and privacy disputes involving AI systems.

   Note: No specialist AI tribunal exists.

6. E6.6

   AI advisory body diversity

   Score 3 / 4

   AI Strategy consultations involved government, academia, private sector, civil society and international organisations.

   Note: Broad stakeholder representation.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

7. E6.7

   Global AI governance participation

   Score 3 / 4

   Mauritius participates in international AI governance discussions through the UN system, African Union initiatives and UNDP-supported programmes.

   Note: Active engagement but not a leadership role.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

8. E6.8

   Civil society AI engagement

   Score 2 / 4

   Civil society organisations were formally consulted during development of the National AI Strategy and FAIR Guidelines.

   Note: Consultation process documented.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

9. E6.9

   African ethical framework reference

   Score 2 / 4

   The strategy references inclusive, human-centred and African development-oriented approaches, though Ubuntu is not a foundational principle.

   Note: African values acknowledged but not central.

10. E6.10

    Youth participation

    Score 1 / 4

    Youth and students participated in consultation activities, but no permanent youth governance mechanism exists.

    Note: Participation remains informal.

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. Southern Africa mean 1.62 · all 54 states mean 1.55.

1. R7.1

   AU AI Strategy alignment

   Score 4 / 4

   Mauritius's National AI Strategy 2025–2029 was launched after adoption of the AU Continental AI Strategy and reflects its priorities on governance, inclusion, innovation, infrastructure and skills.

   Note: Strong substantive alignment

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

2. R7.2

   Kigali Declaration endorsement

   Score 3 / 4

   Mauritius participates in AU digital transformation initiatives and has supported continental digital governance efforts linked to Kigali processes.

   Note: No separate implementation framework identified.

   Scoring basis Official signatory list applied. Signatory of the Africa Declaration on AI (Kigali, 4 April 2025), C4IR list: "Endorsed" = 3.

   Sources c4ir.rw (opens in a new tab) · au.int (opens in a new tab)

3. R7.3

   REC AI governance coordination

   Score 2 / 4

   Mauritius participates in regional digital governance initiatives through regional African and Indian Ocean cooperation mechanisms.

   Note: Active participant rather than leader.

   Sources comesa.int (opens in a new tab)

4. R7.4

   Cross-border AI agreements

   Score 2 / 4

   Mauritius cooperates internationally on digital transformation, AI capacity building and governance through partnerships with UNDP and other international organisations.

   Note: Cooperation agreements exist, though few are AI-specific treaties.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

5. R7.5

   Election integrity AI provisions

   Score 1 / 4

   No dedicated legal framework addressing AI in elections has been enacted, although concerns regarding digital misinformation are increasingly recognised.

   Note: Limited evidence of formal AI election measures.

6. R7.6

   Disinformation response framework

   Score 2 / 4

   Existing ICT and communications regulatory institutions address misinformation and online harms, though not specifically AI-generated content.

   Note: Framework exists but is not AI-specific.

   Sources icta.mu (opens in a new tab)

7. R7.7

   AI election incidents documented

   Score 1 / 4

   No publicly documented AI-driven election interference incidents identified in Mauritius.

   Note: 0

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 1 (rule band). Scored on documented institutional response, not incident count.

8. R7.8

   Platform content moderation

   Score 1 / 4

   Government engagement with digital platforms occurs through ICT regulatory channels, but no formal AI content moderation requirements exist.

   Note: Informal engagement only.

   Sources icta.mu (opens in a new tab)

9. R7.9

   Geneva Dialogue participation

   Score 2 / 4

   Mauritius has actively engaged in UNDP-supported AI governance initiatives and is likely to participate in international AI governance dialogues.

   Note: Evidence supports observer/delegation level participation.

   Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

10. R7.10

    G20/multilateral AI engagement

    Score 2 / 4

    Mauritius participates in multilateral digital governance discussions through the AU, UN system, and international development partnerships.

    Note: Not a G20 or BRICS member but engages multilaterally.

    Sources undp.org (opens in a new tab)

Mean of all 10 indicator scores. Southern Africa mean 0.70 · all 54 states mean 0.78.

1. M8.1

   AI governance budget disbursed

   Score 3 / 4

   Budget 2025/26 allocated approximately MUR 25 million (≈US$550,000) for AI programmes and AI Unit establishment, but actual disbursement figures are not yet publicly reported.

   Note: Record committed amount; disbursement unavailable.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

   Sources edbmauritius.org (opens in a new tab)

2. M8.2

   Health AI regulation

   Score 2 / 4

   Health-sector AI applications are governed through existing health, privacy and data protection frameworks together with FAIR AI Guidelines.

   Note: No AI-specific health legislation.

   Sources dataprotection.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

3. M8.3

   Health AI devices approved

   Score 0 / 4

   No publicly available registry of AI-enabled medical devices formally approved in Mauritius was identified.

   Scoring basis Fellow score kept; no raw value for the threshold.

4. M8.4

   Government AI system registry

   Score 1 / 4

   The National AI Strategy contemplates governance mechanisms and oversight structures, but no public AI registry currently exists.

   Note: Registry not yet operational.

   Sources govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

5. M8.5

   AI governance M&E reports

   Score 0 / 4

   No monitoring and evaluation reports have yet been published because the strategy was launched in 2026.

   Scoring basis Threshold applied. Raw value: 0 (reports).

6. M8.6

   Agriculture AI governance

   Score 1 / 4

   Agriculture is identified as a priority AI sector, but dedicated governance provisions have not yet been adopted.

   Note: Sector prioritised but not regulated.

7. M8.7

   Financial services AI governance

   Score 2 / 4

   Financial institutions remain subject to guidance issued by the Bank of Mauritius and financial regulators on digital innovation, risk management and data governance.

   Note: No AI-specific financial regulation.

   Sources bom.mu (opens in a new tab)

8. M8.8

   Education AI governance

   Score 2 / 4

   AI education and digital skills development form part of the National AI Strategy, but no dedicated education-sector AI policy has been formally adopted.

   Note: Developing area.

   Sources education.govmu.org (opens in a new tab)

9. M8.9

   Measurable governance outcomes

   Score 1 / 4

   The strategy is too recent for measurable governance outcomes; only early implementation activities have been reported.

   Note: No systematic evidence available

10. M8.10

    WHO AI health guidance adoption

    Score 2 / 4

    Mauritius's human-centred and ethical AI approach is broadly consistent with WHO AI governance principles, though no formal adoption declaration has been identified.

    Note: Alignment rather than formal adoption.

    Sources who.int (opens in a new tab)