Morocco Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in morocco, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Digital Economy
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Overview

Morocco has been actively pursuing the development of its digital economy over the years, implementing multiple strategies to drive progress in the sector. Beginning in 2005, the country introduced several key initiatives, including e-Maroc 2010, Maroc Numeric 2013, and Maroc Numeric 2020. A new phase of this effort, the Digital Morocco 2030 Strategy, was officially launched on September 25, 2024. 

This New Digital Strategy aims to:

  • Accelerate eGovernment (eGov) services development and create a portal to unify and extend existing Government services
  • Position Morocco as a leading tech hub in Africa for foreign investments
  • Foster the growth of the start-up ecosystem and transform Morocco into a center of innovation

The Key Enablers of the Strategy are:

  • Cloud computing
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and connectivity
  • Talent development

To support this vision, Morocco has enacted the following laws and regulations:

  • Public Services Charter (Law No. 54.19)
  • Simplification of Administrative Procedures (Law No. 55.19), establishing new principles for the relationship between administration and users.
  • Electronic Data Exchange (Law No. 53-05) supports secure legal data exchanges.
  • Inter-administration Data Interoperability ensures smooth data sharing between institutions.
  • Personal Data Protection (Law No. 09-08) safeguards individuals’ personal information.
  • Right of Access to Information (Law No. 31-13) promotes transparency, accountability, and participatory democracy, reinforcing public trust in administration.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the tech sector contributes 6.8 percent to the national GDP, with telecommunications companies representing a substantial portion.  

Digital Trade Barriers

Morocco’s digital sector, while growing, faces several challenges:

  • Institutional fragmentation and uneven coordination between the main actors in the digital governance ecosystem has implications for Morocco’s ability to effectively reap the benefits of digital transformation reform efforts.
     
  • Regulatory framework: The regulatory environment for the digital sector can be complex and burdensome. Regulations related to cloud and cyber security need to be updated and more flexible to enable international companies do more business.
     
  • Morocco, like many developing countries, faces several challenges in data and data transfer. Creating trust in data transactions and use in Morocco still requires the adoption and enforcement of a robust legal and regulatory framework for personal data protection, e-commerce and transactions, cybersecurity. Some sectors may face data localization requirements, which can limit the free flow of data and increase costs.
     
  • Skill gap: There is a shortage of skilled professionals in the digital sector, particularly in areas such as cybersecurity, data science, and software development. The government of Morocco has committed to training 100,000 students and professionals in digital skills by 2030.
     
  • Digital divide: There is a significant digital divide in Morocco, with rural areas and low-income populations having limited access to internet and digital technologies.  There are an estimated 1,800 rural villages with no internet access.
     

Digital Trade Opportunities 

Cross-Sector Enabling Technologies

Morocco offers a growing digital economy with opportunities for businesses in the following areas: cloud computing, AI, digital transformation, 5G and edge computing, cybersecurity solutions, e-commerce, fintech, healthTech, climateTech and AgriTech. A number of major U.S. tech companies are based in Morocco, managing regionally operations from Morocco, including Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Cisco, Dell Technologies. Many other American ptech companies are working in the Moroccan market through distributors and resellers and others are exploring opportunities to invest or to expand.
 

Specific Industry Sub-Sectors 

E-Government

According to the 2024 E-Government Development Index (EGDI), Morocco has improved its ranking in international e-governance, moving from 140th in 2008 to 90th in 2024. The country is ranked 11th in Africa.  According to the Ministry of Digital Transition, the aim is to move Morocco to the top 50 worldwide in the EGDI index.  Morocco’s jump in the rankings is due to its progress in making government services more accessible to its citizens through online platforms.

Moroccans today have access to more than 300 digital public services and companies have access to more than 200 digital public services geared towards SMEs. Additionally, here are 300 services aimed at citizens and 100 for the public sector. As of 2022, Morocco’s Open Data Watch ranking was 35th globally. This ranking is based on the Open Data Inventory (ODIN) which measures the completeness and openness of a country’s statistical offerings.

Cloud & Data Centers 

Morocco is an emerging destination for data center development, with Casablanca currently hosting over 25 data centers with additional capacity coming online. However, this growth may slow down in the coming years due to increases in land and energy prices.

Since 2023, Moroccans have increasingly used the cloud for both businesses and personal applications. The government is committed to improving the country’s cloud industry by enhancing telecom infrastructure and broadband access.  In May 2024, U.S company Oracle announced its plans to open two cloud regions in Morocco to stimulate and support the digital transformation of businesses, universities, investors, and more broadly, the national economy. The investment, estimated at $140 million over five years, will enable Oracle to develop a full range of cloud services via two data centers located in Casablanca and Settat. The project will provide local and regional companies with access to state-of-the-art cloud services, boosting the efficiency and competitiveness of their respective businesses. Microsoft, AWS, and Google Cloud are also exploring opportunities to develop cloud services in Morocco. 

5G Market 

Morocco’s mobile market is at an inflection point. The Moroccan government’s New Development Model identified a speedy rollout of next generation telecommunications services as critical, calling for the advancement of technological infrastructure and high-speed broadband coverage. Morocco’s global competitiveness will depend primarily on the quality of its human capital and on its capacities of technology appropriation. Morocco’s ANRT is expected to formally announce a tender for a limited 5G project in May or June 2025, followed by a separate tender for a nationwide 5G rollout. The nationwide tender is unlikely to be initiated until 2026. The expansion of 4G to new areas, as well as the deployment of new 5G mobile broadband infrastructure, presents an opportunity for U.S. companies, along with trusted vendors, to compete for tenders and enter the market.

Start-Up Ecosystem 

Morocco’s startup ecosystem offers an affordable and stable base for entrepreneurs and startups looking to target the North African market. With a young and talented population focused on technology and connectivity, Morocco has the potential to become a strong innovation hub in the region. The country saw its first $100 million startup valuation in 2022–that of e-commerce provider Chari. The Moroccan government through the new 2030 Digital Strategy will offer new incentives (tax and training incentives) and new flexible means of funding to encourage tech start-ups and assist them in strengthening their ecosystem. Financing remains the key challenge for Moroccan startups, who face limited venture capital (VC) options, high demand for collateral from risk-averse banks, and lengthy administrative approvals to secure funding from government entrepreneurship support programs.

Digital Economy-related trade events

One of the major digital economy related events is GITEX Africa held in Morocco since 2023. Information about additional events can be found through websites below:

  • Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform: Focused on digital transition and administrative reform. https://mmsp.gov.ma/
  • The Digital Development Agency (ADD) is the implementer of the digital strategy and considered as a consultative institution. https://www.add.gov.ma/
  • The National Commission for the Protection of Personal Data ensures data privacy (CNDP): Established in 2009. https://www.cndp.ma/
  • The National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency ensures telecommunications regulation (ANRT). https://www.anrt.ma/