Morocco's industrial sector wrapped up 2025 on a robust note, showcasing a remarkable 4% growth in the manufacturing production index—excluding petroleum refining—during the fourth quarter compared to the same timeframe in 2024. This data, released by the High Commission for Planning (HCP), underscores the strength and resilience of the nation's manufacturing landscape. The growth trajectory was largely fueled by impressive performances across various sectors, with pharmaceutical manufacturing leading the charge by recording a remarkable 28.9% increase. Other significant contributors included the manufacturing of transport equipment, which surged by 37.1%, and fabricated metal products, which experienced a notable rise of 14.5%. The food processing industry also demonstrated solid performance, climbing by 9.9%, while non-metallic mineral products and tobacco products saw increases of 4.8% and 4.7%, respectively.
Despite the overall upward trend, not all sectors participated equally in this economic upswing. The automotive industry faced challenges, recording a contraction of 6.2%, and the clothing manufacturing sector experienced a decline of 4.7%. Additionally, production in the computers, electronics, and optical equipment sector fell sharply by 12.6%, while electrical equipment saw a decline of 2.3%. The miscellaneous manufacturing category endured a significant retreat of 15.4%, highlighting the ongoing pressures faced by export-oriented industrial segments. Meanwhile, extractive industries faced an overall decline of 4.4%, primarily driven by a 4.6% drop in miscellaneous mining output, although this was partially offset by a modest increase of 0.7% in metallic ore production. In contrast, the electrical energy generation sector exhibited growth, expanding by 2.8%.
When considering the full year of 2025, the HCP data paints a largely positive picture of Morocco's industrial landscape. In comparison to 2024, extractive industries demonstrated a robust growth of 7%. Manufacturing output, excluding petroleum refining, rose by 4.1%, while electricity production saw an increase of 6.3%. These figures suggest that Morocco's industrial base is gradually strengthening, even amidst sectoral unevenness and ongoing economic headwinds, particularly in the automotive and electronics manufacturing sectors. Furthermore, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Businesses, Employment, and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, engaged in discussions in Madrid aimed at enhancing Morocco's relations with international institutions focused on skills training for emerging professions. This initiative underscores the government's commitment to fostering economic development and equipping the workforce for future challenges.
As reported by northafricapost.com.
