RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Morocco has emerged as Africa’s leading industrial power, surpassing South Africa for the first time in the “Africa Industrialization Index 2025” published by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
According to the report, relaunched by the Yabiladi website, the Kingdom is consolidating its position thanks to the growth of its export industry, the integration of its logistics infrastructure, and the progressive diversification of its manufacturing base.
The AfDB emphasizes that Morocco is now among the rare African economies capable of combining industrial policy, port logistics, trade integration, and international attractiveness. This convergence has allowed the country to establish itself as one of Africa’s leading manufacturing hubs in the automotive, aeronautics, processed fertilizer, and various industrial sectors integrated with European markets.
The automotive industry remains the primary driver of this growth. Morocco maintains its position as the continent’s leading automotive exporter thanks to the continued development of its industrial hubs in Tangier and Kenitra.
According to AfDB, the Moroccan model is now moving beyond the simple logic of assembly, developing an increasingly integrated value chain that includes wiring, components, industrial engineering, and electric mobility. A key role is played by the port of Tangier Med, considered one of Africa’s main logistics and maritime hubs.
This infrastructure allows for the rapid connection of Moroccan industrial hubs to European, African, and Mediterranean markets, reducing transport times and strengthening the country’s attractiveness for international investors.
The report also highlights the strong growth of the Moroccan aeronautics sector, particularly in the industrial hubs of Casablanca and Nouaceur, where activities related to precision aeronautical systems, maintenance, and component assembly are developing. For the bank, this development distinguishes Morocco from several African economies still heavily dependent on raw material exports.
The Kingdom is strengthening its presence in global industrial value chains. The report notes that South Africa retains a historically broader and more diversified manufacturing base, but currently faces logistical challenges, energy problems, and less dynamic industrial competitiveness than in the past. Regarding Egypt, the AfDB notes that its industrial model remains more oriented towards the domestic market and energy-intensive sectors.
Algeria, on the other hand, ranks sixth in the index, penalized by its persistent dependence on hydrocarbons and limited integration into global industrial value chains. According to the bank, Morocco currently benefits from an industrial strategy developed over several decades, based on public investment, international partnerships, and the progressive development of integrated industrial ecosystems.
The report concludes that the Kingdom is now among the select group of African economies capable of transforming its industrial policy into a true geoeconomic advantage for the continent.
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
