One in four Moroccans will be aged 60 and above by 2050, representing a rise from 9.4% of the population in 2014 to 23.2% in 2050, according to Morocco’s Statistics and Forecasts Office (HCP).
The trend is not unique to Morocco, as Tunisia and Algeria are experiencing similar changes. In Tunisia, the elderly population has nearly doubled over the past 30 years, from 4.1% to a projected 17.7% by 2029. Meanwhile, in Algeria, the number of individuals aged 60 and above has been steadily increasing, reaching 3.5 million in 2006 and is projected to grow to 6.7 million by 2030.
In Tunisia, retirement pensions are the primary source of income for only 18% of retirees, as opposed to 27% in Morocco. Assistance received by the elderly from their children is seen as the main source of income by 75% of Moroccans compared to 56.2% of Tunisians. Unlike Moroccans, elderly Tunisians are less likely to live with their children.
Overall, the majority of the elderly are married, although widowhood, illiteracy, low incomes, and economic dependency among women are more prevalent compared to men.
This aging population presents new challenges in terms of health, economy, and society, necessitating Morocco and its neighbors to rethink their approach to accompany this inevitable demographic transition.
In Algeria, individuals aged 60 and above accounted for 3.5 million people out of 33.2 million inhabitants in 2006, increasing by nearly 500,000 individuals every two years over the past decade. According to population projections, this figure is expected to reach 6.7 million in 2030 and slightly more by 2050, representing 30% of the population.