Morocco is establishing itself as a key player in the digital landscape of North Africa, thanks to the dynamic development of its cloud and data center infrastructures. In response to growing demand, the country is attracting more and more foreign investment, thereby consolidating its position as a connectivity hub between Africa and Europe.
Morocco is positioning itself as a promising market for cloud and data centers in North Africa, attracting the attention of investors and sector experts, as revealed by several recent industry reports. The country’s evolving digital infrastructure is paving the way for new economic and technological opportunities.
An evolution since the 2000s
Morocco’s journey in data centers dates back to the 2000s, when the country began to meet local demand from the telecommunications sector. According to Knight Frank’s report, titled “The MENA Report: Navigating the Data Center Landscape in the Middle East and North Africa”, Morocco began its transition to colocation in the early 2010s, focusing on the specific needs of retail colocation market. This report highlights Morocco as one of the five main data center markets in Africa, serving as a connectivity gateway between the African continent and Europe.
With investment forecasts of US$51 million by 2028 and annual growth of 11.18%, the Moroccan data center market is booming, according to Arizton Intelligence. Executive Vice President of Technology for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Oracle, Richard Smith, highlights that “Morocco, one of the largest economies in Africa, offers unique growth opportunities to companies that want to accelerate their expansion by deploying the latest digital technologies”.
Investments to strengthen infrastructure
Recent investments demonstrate a strong commitment to developing Morocco’s digital infrastructure. Indeed, in the third quarter of 2023, African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) announced an investment of $90 million in a joint venture with Morocco’s N+ONE data centers. This initiative aims to address the digital infrastructure gap in Africa by providing quality solutions and facilitating the expansion of local and international businesses.
The Moroccan government also plays a key role in the growth of this sector. By creating industrial acceleration zones, it offers tax advantages and financial incentives to operators, thus promoting an environment conducive to the development of data centers.
In short, Morocco is transforming into a strategic hub for digital technologies in North Africa, attracting significant investments and stimulating unprecedented growth dynamics in the data center sector.
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