Morocco’s Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Ghita Mezzour, inaugurated Nokia’s first innovation center in Africa and the Middle East on Tuesday in Salé, near Rabat, according to the ministry statement.
The new center is equipped with advanced technologies across Nokia’s fixed, IP, and optical network infrastructure portfolio, which were developed and tested by Moroccan engineers.
The initiative is designed to reinforce Nokia’s position in Morocco’s information and communication technology sector by providing practical training to engineering schools and universities, along with scholarship support. According to the statement, around 500 students are expected to receive certifications over the next three years.
Mezzour stated that “the opening of Nokia’s Innovation Center in Morocco demonstrates our country’s ability to attract leading technology companies and encourage innovation on the African continent, relying primarily on the know-how of Moroccan engineers.”
She added that the facility would reinforce Morocco’s position as a regional hub for digital services across the EMEA region.
During the inauguration, she saw firsthand Nokia’s latest innovations, including solutions designed for major sports events, specifically tailored to the football industry.
Finland’s Ambassador to Morocco, Marjaana Sall, and the U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, Puneet Talwar, and other public and private sector representatives attended the inauguration event.