A parliamentary report on society Highways of Morocco » reveals a financial and administrative crisis marked by a debt of 40 billion dirhams and an exodus of executives. Declining traffic, rising operating costs and human resource management are further complicating management of the country’s highway network.
A parliamentary report drawn up as part of a temporary exploratory mission on Morocco’s highways highlighted serious dysfunctions within the company “Autoroutes du Maroc”, responsible for the management and maintenance of the country’s highway network. According to this report, the company is plunged into a deep crisis, both financial and administrative, which has significant consequences on its daily operations and its ability to meet the country’s infrastructure needs.
One of the most concerning points raised by the report is the company’s debt situation. The latter is described as a “major problem”, resulting from multiple factors. Among these, the colossal investments required for the construction and maintenance of highway infrastructure, the financial and operational challenges that the company must face, as well as the unfavorable economic conditions. In addition, the company has had to resort to significant external financing, particularly in the form of loans to finance various projects, thus contributing to the accumulation of debt which amounts to around 40 billion dirhams.
Read also: Motorways of Morocco: an investment program of 7.74 billion dirhams over the period 2025-2027
The report also highlights that this debt situation has led to a significant exodus of managers and employees. The study highlights that the reduction in the number of civil servants, which fell from 550 to 440 over the last ten years, has worsened the situation. The drop in staff numbers has impacted employee morale, particularly among subcontracted workers, who make up about 900 people at toll plazas, or nearly half of the company’s workforce.
The report also noted a significant drop in highway traffic, a factor that contributed to the company’s reduced revenue. This fall in traffic was particularly marked during the Covid-19 pandemic, when traffic fell sharply due to restrictions and the general economic crisis. This drop in revenue was aggravated by broken promises by the State, particularly in terms of financial support for the company. At the same time, the report indicates that the operation and maintenance costs of the highway network have increased significantly due to rising prices of fuel and construction materials.
Despite this difficult situation, the report reveals that revenues generated by tolls have increased, reaching an amount of 3.7 billion dirhams in 2023. However, this increase in revenue has had no significant impact on debt reduction. or on the management of loans. In fact, the sums collected were insufficient to resolve the company’s long-term financing problems.
Concerning human resources management, the fact-finding mission highlighted the weakness of the company’s technical supervision, noting that an insufficient number of executives are in place to respond to urgent needs in terms of maintenance and management. infrastructure. As a result, the company had to call on foreign design offices to try to reorganize its structure. However, these attempts have not yielded satisfactory results in terms of stability of human resources and improvement of management efficiency.
Finally, the report indicates that nearly 122 employees left the company, including 77 executives, which led to a weakening of management and the loss of key skills acquired over the years. This situation not only harmed the company’s performance, but also compromised its ability to meet the challenges of managing a national highway network.
