Morocco's Ambitious Digital Vision Unveiled at GITEX Africa
On April 7, 2026, the vibrant city of Marrakech played host to the fourth edition of GITEX Africa, marking a significant milestone for Morocco as it steps forward as a leading digital hub in Africa. The event, inaugurated by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, attracted a staggering 50,000 participants alongside over 1,450 exhibitors from 130 countries, solidifying Marrakech's reputation as a pivotal platform for innovation on the continent. This grand event is collaboratively organized by the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, the Digital Development Agency, and KAOUN International, a subsidiary of the renowned Dubai World Trade Centre.
During his opening address, Prime Minister Akhannouch conveyed a strong message directed toward global technology investors, emphasizing Morocco's readiness to serve as Africa's technological gateway. He underscored the nation's unique advantages, which include institutional stability, a clear political trajectory, a well-trained workforce, and state-of-the-art infrastructure essential for attracting significant digital investments. Furthermore, he elaborated on the broader mission of GITEX Africa, which aims to provide the continent with a platform for self-expression and to link Africa's vibrant youth and resources with the financial, training, and market infrastructures necessary to transform potential into tangible growth.
Strategic Initiatives and Future Outlook
Central to Morocco's aspirations is the 'Maroc Digital 2030' national strategy, which seeks to streamline previously fragmented initiatives into a cohesive, government-wide blueprint. This strategy is anchored on two key pillars: the establishment of a digital state and the promotion of a digital economy. The results of this strategy are already evident, with the digital investment budget skyrocketing from 11 million to an impressive 1.7 billion dirhams between 2021 and 2024. By the conclusion of 2024, the offshore and digital export sector is projected to create 148,500 jobs and achieve over 26 billion dirhams in service exports, with ambitious targets set for 2030 that include generating 270,000 jobs and 40 billion dirhams in exports.
Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a vital role in Morocco's digital framework, with the nation making significant strides in its Government AI Readiness Index, where it advanced 14 positions in 2025. Minister Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni articulated Morocco's vision as a 'third way' in the technological landscape—neither a dominant technological powerhouse nor a mere passive participant, but rather a nation capable of leveraging AI to benefit its citizens while acting as a bridge between Europe and Africa in the evolving global digital ecosystem. Initiatives like the Jazari Root Institute and the AI Made in Morocco program exemplify this ambitious approach.
To bolster these objectives, Morocco is also enhancing its infrastructure. The rollout of 5G technology is in progress, with a goal of achieving 45 percent population coverage by the end of 2026 and 85 percent by 2030. By the end of 2025, fixed high-speed internet subscriptions surpassed 1.4 million fiber connections, and efforts are underway to address coverage gaps in 1,800 rural communes. Notably, an international cloud provider has already established data centers and a research and development facility in Casablanca, creating over 700 skilled jobs—indicative of the tangible outcomes stemming from Morocco's efforts to attract global technology investors.
As reported by northafricapost.com.
