en.Wedoany.com Reported - Mauritian Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Navin Ramgoolam, unveiled the key points of the national budget for the 2026/2027 fiscal year on Friday, June 19, placing the digital sector at the core. The budget outlines a series of reforms and investments aimed at modernizing public services, enhancing economic competitiveness, and building an ecosystem for startups and emerging technologies.
In terms of modernizing public services, the government plans to accelerate administrative digitization by more deeply integrating artificial intelligence into existing public platforms, particularly the National Electronic Licensing System (NELS). This system will be equipped with multilingual chatbots and automation tools to provide 24/7 support and reduce license processing times. The Digital Interactive Virtual Assistant (DIVA) platform will also be modernized to improve the accessibility of digital public services. A significant portion of the budget is allocated to digital skills development, including training 8,000 secondary school teachers, providing AI learning solutions for 12,000 students, upskilling 25,000 citizens, and training 5,000 civil servants in the responsible use of AI in public administration. A project named "Champion of AI," developed in collaboration with India, aims to promote the application of these technologies nationwide.
In the areas of innovation and cybersecurity, the government will allocate 25 million Mauritian Rupees (approximately USD 523,132) for deploying a national AI learning platform and supporting specialized startups, and will release a national AI guideline to regulate ethical use. For cybersecurity, a budget of 13 million Mauritian Rupees is planned to create a cyber forensics laboratory, strengthen digital investigations, and establish an information security management system, alongside the creation of a cyber threat intelligence sharing platform.
To stimulate tech entrepreneurship, the budget proposes drafting a Startup Act to regulate the industry's regulatory framework, with the Economic Development Board (EDB) responsible for implementing an acceleration program. Young enterprises will enjoy a ten-year tax holiday and access to financing mechanisms, including innovation grants of up to 500,000 Mauritian Rupees. The SME framework will also be reformed, creating a unified digital platform integrating public assistance, financing, and support measures. A flagship measure is the creation of a high-tech special economic zone spanning 83 arpents in Côte d'Or, aimed at attracting investments in AI, data centers, digital services, and innovative industries. This zone will offer a range of incentives, including allowing 100% foreign ownership, preferential electricity tariffs for data centers, tax breaks, and simplified work permit application processes.
The digital economy currently accounts for 5.7% of Mauritius's GDP. The country has an internet penetration rate of 180.5% and a mobile phone penetration rate of 173.6%. This sector achieved service exports worth 9.64 billion Mauritian Rupees and attracted foreign direct investment of 985 million Mauritian Rupees.
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