Mauritius Frontier
Africa · Port Louis · MUR (Mauritian Rupee)
Economy & industry overview
Mauritius is a small island upper-middle-income economy in the Indian Ocean with a highly diversified services base. The economy is driven by financial services, tourism, information and communication technology, and trade, with manufacturing and sugar production playing supporting roles. Real GDP grew by 4.7 percent in 2024, driven by services, construction, and tourism. Mauritius is classified by the World Bank as an upper-middle-income country and aspires to attain high-income status, having briefly reached that threshold in 2020. The Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM), founded in 1989, is one of the leading exchanges in Africa and operates two markets, the Official Market and the Development & Enterprise Market (DEM).
Key sectors
Learn everything about Mauritius →Macro
| GDP nominal, USD | $14.95B |
| GDP growth real, annual | 4.7% |
| Inflation annual | 3.6% |
| Population people | 1.3M |
| GDP per capita USD | $11,629 |
| Market cap total listed, USD | $9.12B |
| Market cap / GDP | 61.0% |
| Unemployment | 6.0% |
| Listed companies | 185 |
| Exchange | Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) |
Data year: 2024. Sources: IMF Country Report No. 25/136 (June 2025), World Bank Open Data – GDP and Market Capitalization indicators (2024), Statistics Mauritius – Labour Force Survey, Bank of Mauritius – Monetary Policy Committee Statement, Stock Exchange of Mauritius – Official Market Data (2026), Trading Economics – Mauritius, Wikipedia – Economy of Mauritius, Wikipedia – Stock Exchange of Mauritius, African-Markets.com – SEM Listed Companies, MyStocks.Africa – SEM, Mackrell.net – Mauritius Golden Visa, Mauritius Trade Easy – Economic Outline.
Latest news
Links open the publisher's website in a new tab.
South Africa
Morocco
Nigeria
Botswana
Mali
Burkina Faso
Kenya
Côte d'Ivoire
Tanzania
Tunisia
Ghana
Senegal
Benin
Guinea-Bissau
Togo
NigerLargest listed companies
The biggest companies on the main local exchange, by market capitalisation.
| # | Company | Sector | Market capUSD | US listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MCB Group LimitedMCBG · SEM | Banking & Financial Services | $2.10B | — |
| 2 | IBL LtdIBLL · SEM | Diversified Conglomerate | $650.00M | — |
| 3 | SBM Holdings LtdSBMH · SEM | Banking & Financial Services | $550.00M | — |
| 4 | Ascencia LimitedASCE · SEM | Real Estate / REITs | $400.00M | — |
| 5 | CIEL LimitedCIEL · SEM | Diversified Conglomerate | $380.00M | — |
| 6 | Emtel LimitedEMTL · SEM | Telecommunications | $270.00M | — |
| 7 | New Mauritius Hotels LimitedNMHL · SEM | Tourism & Hospitality | $250.00M | — |
| 8 | Sun LimitedSUNL · SEM | Tourism & Hospitality | $220.00M | — |
| 9 | LUX Island Resorts LtdLUXR · SEM | Tourism & Hospitality | $200.00M | — |
| 10 | Alteo LimitedALTEO · SEM | Agro-industry / Sugar | $155.00M | — |
| 11 | Constance Hotels Services LtdCHS · SEM | Tourism & Hospitality | $140.00M | — |
| 12 | Rogers and Company LimitedROGL · SEM | Diversified Conglomerate | $130.00M | — |
| 13 | Attitude Property LtdAAML · SEM | Real Estate | $70.00M | — |
| 14 | Grit Real Estate Income GroupGRIT · SEM | Real Estate | $120.00M | — |
| 15 | Belle Mare Holding LtdBMH · SEM | Financials / Holding | $90.00M | — |
US-traded ETFs
Funds listed in the US that give exposure to this market, the simplest route for many US investors.
Local exchange & access
| Exchange | Stock Exchange of Mauritius |
| Code | SEM |
| Website | www.stockexchangeofmauritius.com |
| Currency | MUR |
Local broker access
Foreign investors have been permitted to trade on the SEM without prior approval since exchange controls were abolished in 1994. Most retail international investors access SEM-listed equities through specialist Africa-focused online brokers (e.g., MyStocks.Africa, SEM-affiliated member brokers such as MCB Stockbroking) or via frontier/Africa-focused funds. There are no US-listed single-country ETFs exclusively dedicated to Mauritius; exposure is typically obtained through broad Africa or frontier-market ETFs. Direct account opening with a SEM member broker requires standard KYC documentation.
Global brokers with foreign-market access
- Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
- Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
- Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
- Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.
Listed for convenience only. Not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.
Relocation & residency
Investment visa / residency programme
Grants Residence Permit (10-year, renewable); Premium Visa (long-stay, renewable)
Mauritius offers several investment-linked residency pathways. A 10-Year Residence Permit is available to non-citizen investors who invest a minimum of USD 375,000 in an approved business activity or acquire qualifying residential property. Retirees aged 50 and above may obtain a 10-Year Residence Permit by demonstrating sufficient income. The Premium Visa is a separate long-stay visa (renewable) that allows foreign nationals (including remote workers, retirees, and their families) to reside in Mauritius without a fixed investment minimum, provided they can show proof of financial self-sufficiency. Property investment routes (such as the Integrated Resort Scheme, Real Estate Scheme, Property Development Scheme, and Smart City Scheme) allow non-citizens who invest USD 375,000 or more in approved residential units to obtain a residence permit. These permits are residency-based and do not grant Mauritian citizenship.
Minimum investment: $375.00K
Need help applying? Specialist investment-migration advisers such as Henley & Partners.
Foreign-investor access
Mauritius has a well-established expatriate community and ranks highly in Africa for ease of doing business. English and French are widely used in business and government. The island offers international schools, private healthcare, and modern infrastructure. A Premium Visa enables long-term stays for remote workers and retirees. Cost of living is moderate by international standards, though imported goods can be expensive.
US-listed ADRs & cross-listings
Companies from this country whose shares also trade in the US, investable in a normal US brokerage account.
| Company | US ticker | Local ticker | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grit Real Estate Income Group | GRIT | Grit has a primary listing on the SEM and a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: GR1T); it does not have a US ADR. No Mauritius-domiciled companies currently have formal US ADR programs. |