Morocco’s exports of automobile components reached nearly MAD 150 billion within the last year, Morocco’s Minister of Industry Ryad Mezzour announced at the second National Industry Day (JNI) held on Wednesday at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguérir. They have the potential to increase fivefold in the coming years as Morocco’s automotive battery industry becomes part of the value chain, he said.
Speaking at the event, entitled “Inaugurating a New Industrial Era Driven by Sovereignty,” Mezzour highlighted the significant achievements of Morocco’s industrial sector. “We grew from 185 billion dirhams in 1999 to 800 billion dirhams in 2023,” he said.
Over the past two decades Morocco has doubled its industrial employment, tripled the number of businesses, and quadrupled revenue, according to the minister. Exports have surged from 61 billion dirhams to 377 billion dirhams in the same period.
Women have played a central role in job creation in the industrial sector, particularly for women’s employment. Women now represent 44% of the workforce in the sector, including in fields such as engineering and senior management.
“Every day, Moroccan industry generates MAD 2 billion in revenue, of which 1 billion comes from exports, with 90% of exported goods being processed products,” Mezzour said. He also highlighted that the national industry has already achieved 75% of its 2035 export target for complex industries.
The automotive sector has spearheaded this growth leading to MAD 150 billion in revenue, with potential for further expansion by developing the battery value chain. Morocco’s industrial competitiveness is now comparable to China’s, he asserted, with a local integration rate of 69% in the automotive industry.
In the aerospace sector, Morocco has generated MAD 23 billion in revenue, with a 42% industrial integration rate. Mezzour mentioned the growing interest from foreign manufacturers in assembling aircraft in Morocco, including drones and flying vehicles.
After the opening ceremony, three key agreements were signed. The first concerns the development of the Benguerir Industrial Park, a vast expanse of over 213 hectares, at a cost of MAD 900 million. This strategic project targets sectors such as green energy, metallurgical and electrical industries, automotive, agro-industry, and electric batteries.
The second agreement focuses on the development of the Jorf Industrial Park, over 308 hectares, at a cost of MAD 1.4 billion.
The third agreement will strengthen collaboration between research and industry. It is intended to enhance synergies between the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation to promote research and development (R&D) to further the country’s industrial needs.
The JNI, sponsored annually by the Ministry of Industry in collaboration with the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), is a platform for discussing the challenges and opportunities related to industrial development, to unlock the full potential of Morocco’s various regions. It is intended to promote a resilient national industry that fully capitalizes on regional potential to create more value and wealth for the country.