Strategically located between Europe and Africa, Morocco has leveraged its geographical position and its well-educated youth to develop its services economy. The digital sector is now a major beneficiary of this approach, offering considerable opportunities for international businesses.

Exports of digital and outsourced services have emerged as a quiet engine of Morocco’s economy, reaching 26.2 billion dirhams ($2.8 billion) in 2024. According to Morocco’s foreign exchange office, Office des Changes, this is a slight 0.2% increase from 2023. The sector’s growth momentum was confirmed in the first half of 2025, with exports hitting 13.4 billion dirhams, a 3.5% rise compared with 12.9 billion dirhams during the same period in 2024.

The sector’s growth momentum was confirmed in the first half of 2025, with exports hitting 13.4 billion dirhams

Digital service exports involve specialized Moroccan teams providing services to foreign companies and clients. These local teams execute advanced digital tasks, or international companies outsource support and customer service activities to Moroccan providers to reduce operating costs. Digital services are the most dynamic and in-demand component, generating the majority of the sector's export revenue.

The sector is predominantly driven by Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). In 2024, IT and technology services, which encompass development, maintenance, and cybersecurity, accounted for 40.3% of the total. CRM and call center activities, which handle assistance and multilingual support, followed closely at 37.4%. Together, these two segments represent 78% of total digital service exports.

Other key segments contribute to the growth: Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO), which includes design and systems integration, accounted for 13.2% of revenue. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), covering back-office functions like accounting and data entry, made up 8.9%. Meanwhile, Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), which focuses on high-value tasks such as financial analysis and business intelligence, was the smallest component at 0.2%.

Despite global tensions, including inflation and exchange rate volatility, Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) revenues grew, a sign of Morocco’s gradual move up the value chain. ESO receipts rose from 3.2 billion dirhams in 2023 to 3.4 billion in 2024, already reaching 2.5 billion dirhams in the first half of 2025.

Despite global tensions, including inflation and exchange rate volatility, Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) revenues grew, a sign of Morocco’s gradual move up the value chain

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) also grew, rising from 1.9 billion dirhams to 2.3 billion dirhams between 2023 and 2024, with 1.3 billion dirhams generated in the first half of 2025. Conversely, Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) experienced a sharp decline, falling from 78 million to 48 million dirhams, and totaled 21 million dirhams in the first half of 2025.

The sector’s stability in 2024 and positive signals in 2025 support Morocco's foreign exchange earnings and its export diversification beyond goods. The acceleration of engineering services demonstrates that Morocco is asserting itself as an engineering hub near Europe, offering reduced lead times and compliance with international standards, rather than solely a call center platform.

The growth in outsourced digital services translates into stable revenue and qualified jobs for the Moroccan economy. Call centers and support activities recruit young people with strong language and interpersonal skills. IT and technology services, however, stimulate demand for more technical and better-paid profiles. The Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform reported the sector already supported 141,000 jobs in 2023, up from 130,000 in 2022 and 100,000 in 2020.

The acceleration of engineering services demonstrates that Morocco is asserting itself as an engineering hub near Europe, offering reduced lead times and compliance with international standards, rather than solely a call center platform

To better manage this growth trajectory, the Office des Changes and the Ministry of Digital Transition have launched a project to modernize monitoring indicators for digital service exports. The goal is to obtain more granular data to target training, regional attractiveness, and promising niche markets. This work is part of the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy.

To maintain this growth, Morocco must tackle three key challenges: adapting to the era of automation by ensuring continuous upskilling to maintain competitiveness against artificial intelligence; guaranteeing high quality service, robust cybersecurity, and impeccable business continuity to compete internationally; and finally, developing talent and infrastructure across the country. Attracting higher value-added projects requires a broader pool of skilled talent and a regional network of infrastructure extending beyond major cities. Coordinated execution of these reforms across government actors will be key to success.

Muriel Edjo

• GSMA, African operators set $30–$40 4G smartphone standard
• Coalition urges tax cuts, bulk orders to lower device costs
• Affordable smartphones key to bridging Africa’s digital divide

The GSMA, the global telecom industry body, and six major African mobile operators, including Orange, are joining forces to expand smartphone access across the continent. On Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Mobile World Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, the coalition announced a basic technical standard for affordable 4G smartphones. The standard defines key components such as memory, screen, battery, and camera, aiming to ensure a reliable and durable 4G experience at a target price between $30 and $40.

According to the GSMA, the physical components of a smartphone—the screen, processor, memory, radio, and battery—account for 50% to 70% of its total cost. The group says lasting price cuts require optimizing component costs, achieving economies of scale through mass production, and streamlining expenses such as patents, logistics, and distribution margins.

Standardization is central to this approach: by allowing all carriers to order the same model, component suppliers can lower prices for large orders. The GSMA hopes to consolidate demand around a single design, giving manufacturers confidence to produce at scale and cut costs.

In the coming months, the GSMA plans to work with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and tech firms to define the core requirements and gain their support for affordable 4G devices.

To make this vision a reality, the coalition is focusing on two main strategies. In the coming months, the GSMA plans to work with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and tech firms to define the core requirements and gain their support for affordable 4G devices. At the same time, it is urging African governments to cut taxes on smartphones priced below $100. South Africa, for example, removed excise duties on phones costing under 2,500 rand ($136) in March 2025 to make devices more affordable for low-income households.

The GSMA notes that in some countries, VAT and import duties can raise handset prices by more than 30%, pushing up costs for consumers and slowing digital inclusion. “Access to a smartphone is not a luxury – it is a lifeline to essential services, income opportunities and participation in the digital economy,” said GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath. “By uniting around a shared vision for affordable 4G devices, Africa’s leading operators and the GSMA are sending a strong signal to manufacturers and policymakers. This is an important step toward bridging the digital divide and enabling millions more people to benefit from mobile connectivity.”

For Africa, the main obstacle to mobile service access is no longer network coverage but handset cost.

For Africa, the main obstacle to mobile service access is no longer network coverage but handset cost. Over the past decade, operators have invested heavily to extend coverage. As a result, by 2024, the continent’s mobile coverage reached 86% for 3G, 71% for 4G, and 11% for 5G, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Yet only 52% of Africans were connected to mobile broadband.

GSMA Intelligence estimates that a $40 smartphone could bring another 20 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa online, while a $30 device could connect up to 50 million more.

The GSMA defines affordability as a price equivalent to 15–20% of average monthly income. The World Bank estimates that in low- and middle-income countries, an entry-level smartphone costs about 18% of a typical adult’s monthly income—but this rises to 73% for the poorest 40% of households in Sub-Saharan Africa.

For telecom operators, making smartphones more affordable is strategically vital: it means a broader internet user base and higher data revenue.

Beyond technology and tax policy, genuine smartphone accessibility requires a mix of measures to ease entry and promote lasting use.

Beyond technology and tax policy, genuine smartphone accessibility requires a mix of measures to ease entry and promote lasting use. Financing is key: offering installment payments through operators or microcredit adapted to irregular incomes, with clear pricing and insurance, makes devices easier to obtain. After-sales service also matters: a local repair network, available spare parts, and capped prices extend device lifespans, reduce waste, and protect consumers’ budgets.

Building digital skills is equally important. Many still see smartphones as a luxury simply because they don’t know how to use them. Training users on basic features improves autonomy and increases the perceived value of the device relative to its cost.

Combined, these factors make a smartphone a genuine investment — a tool for work, education, and access to essential services. To sustain this progress, policymakers and industry must design end-to-end solutions — from purchase to maintenance — ensuring smartphones become a lasting driver of digital inclusion.

Muriel Edjo

• Digital Telecom, AS Datel partner on African land digitization
• E-cadaster to boost tax, transparency, and resource tracking
• Geospatial tech market in region set to hit $69.7B by 2030

Digital Telecom, an Abidjan-based subsidiary of Digital Afrique Telecom (DAT), announced a partnership on Wednesday, Oct. 22, with Estonia’s AS Datel, a geospatial technology firm. The agreement aims to deploy advanced satellite and digital cadastral solutions across Africa to modernize land management, detect illegal construction, and track illegal mining.

“By partnering with AS Datel, we are bringing world-class satellite and e-governance systems to Africa,” said Simplice Anoh, CEO of Digital Telecom. “This is more than just technology; it’s about empowering governments to protect their resources, ensure transparency, and increase revenue that can be reinvested in public services.”

The partnership focuses on deploying an advanced e-cadaster system — a centralized, fully digital platform that will integrate updatable cadastral maps, automated property tax modules, and tools to secure and manage data exchanges. The innovation will enable local and national authorities to maintain accurate property records, streamline tax collection, and improve transparency for citizens and investors.

Estonia’s AS Datel comes from a country renowned for its excellence in e-governance and secure digital systems. The company brings proven expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Earth observation. For Digital Telecom and its parent company, the initiative aligns with African governments’ drive to modernize land systems, improve resource management, and strengthen fiscal transparency.

The project comes as the geospatial technology market rapidly expands in the region. According to Grand View Research, the sector in the Middle East and Africa is projected to reach $69.7 billion by 2030, driven by growing adoption of geolocation, remote sensing, and spatial analysis tools in agriculture, resource management, and urban planning.

Ultimately, the partnership is expected to transform how African authorities register assets, enforce property taxes, and combat illegal activities. By equipping states with reliable digital tools, it paves the way for more transparent governance, higher public revenues, and stronger protection of environmental resources.

Samira Njoya

• UNICEF and GSMA unveiled the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection at MWC25 Kigali.

• Africa has one of the world's fastest rates of children coming online. Young users face cyberbullying, exploitation, harmful content, and AI-driven threats.

• From Policy to Action: The Taskforce implements the GSMA's June 2025 whitepaper recommendations.

In a move to address the growing risks facing Africa's young internet users, UNICEF and the GSMA have launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), marking what it says is the continent's first coordinated, multi-stakeholder platform dedicated to digital safety for children.

The initiative, unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 Kigali, brings together mobile operators, technology companies, regulators, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organizations to implement comprehensive child protection strategies across Africa's rapidly digitalizing landscape.

"As Africa's children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first," said Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. "The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection is a uniquely African platform to ensure technology shields children from harm while opening doors to learning, play, and growth."

The Taskforce comes as Africa experiences one of the world's fastest rates of digital adoption among young people. GSMA data shows 527 million mobile subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa by end-2023, representing 44% of the population.

However, this digital revolution brings significant risks. Children across Africa increasingly face cyberbullying, online exploitation, exposure to harmful content, and misinformation – challenges amplified by the continent's mobile-first internet landscape and the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence technologies, says UNICEF.

The Taskforce builds directly on recommendations from the GSMA's June 2025 whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa, developed with UNICEF and regional partners. That report called for coordinated action from governments, industry, civil society, and youth to create safer digital environments.

The Taskforce's founding members represent a cross-section of Africa's digital ecosystem, including major telecommunications operators MTN Group, Orange, Safaricom, Vodacom Group, and Axian Telecom, alongside international organizations such as INTERPOL, the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), Internet Watch Foundation, and Child Helpline International.

By centering African voices, particularly young people who represent the continent's demographic majority, the Taskforce aims to develop contextually appropriate interventions that balance protection with the transformative opportunities digital access provides for education, economic participation, and social connection.

The initiative positions Africa to potentially lead global conversations on child-centered digital governance, offering models that prioritize both safety and access in mobile-first, youth-majority populations – characteristics increasingly relevant worldwide.

As the Taskforce begins its work, its success will likely depend on sustained commitment from all stakeholders, adequate resourcing for implementation, and genuine integration of youth perspectives into decision-making processes.

Hikmatu Bilali