Rabat, Morocco, April 28, 2026 - Morocco could generate 1.7 million additional jobs by 2035 and increase real GDP by close to 20 percent above baseline - but realizing that potential will require pursuing a strong program of reforms. Two analytical reports, developed in close partnership with the Government of Morocco and released today by the World Bank Group, provide both the evidence and a policy roadmap to make that transformation a reality.
The Morocco Growth and Jobs Report and the Morocco Country Private Sector Diagnostic together identify the structural shifts that would allow Morocco to move from steady to transformative growth, connecting macro reforms with private investment opportunities across key sectors of the economy. These include structural reforms that deepen market competition, unlock private investment, and bring more women and youth into the formal economy.
Morocco's economy has made real strides, but growth has yet to translate into enough jobs -particularly for women and youth. Between 2000 and 2024, the working-age population grew nearly 2.5 times faster than employment. With 40 percent of industries operating under limited competitive pressure, firms fee challenges to scale, and improve productivity. Women's labor force participation, despite rising educational attainment, remains among the lowest in the world and continues to decline.
The Growth and Jobs Report presents structural constraints and proposes policy recommendations structured around four mutually reinforcing outcomes: more efficient and competitive markets, more dynamic firms, more impactful public investment, and more inclusive labor markets. These reforms could generate 1.7 million additional jobs by 2035 and 2.5 million by 2050, while increasing real GDP by close to 20 percent above baseline, translating the ambitions of the New Development Model into an achievable trajectory.
"Morocco has built a strong foundation- and with the policy recommendations of the Growth and Jobs Report, the Kingdom can go even further, generate millions of jobs, deepen private investment, and create real opportunities for women and youth. The World Bank Group is fully committed to this journey alongside Morocco," said Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye, IBRD Division Director for the Maghreb and Malta.
The Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) identifies medium-term opportunities where private investment can be catalyzed across four high-potential sectors: decentralized solar power generation, low-carbon textiles, argan-based cosmetics, and marine aquaculture. These sectors align with Morocco's priorities on green growth, industrial upgrading, and regional development - yet private investment remains low compared with peer countries. The core challenge is not a lack of opportunity, but policy and regulatory constraints focused on: administrative procedures, regulatory frameworks, and skills gaps that deter investors from acting on existing openings.
The CPSD outlines concrete actions the government can take to address these bottlenecks, including clarifying specific regulations, streamlining and digitalizing permitting processes, improving access to land and green energy, and strengthening standards and traceability systems. If implemented, these measures could unlock around US$7.4 billion in private investment and support the creation of over 166,000 jobs in the four sub-sectors reviewed within the next 5 to 10 years.
"Morocco has the sectoral assets and the policy ambition to attract significantly more private investment," said Cheick-Oumar Sylla, IFC Division Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa. "The country is ready for the next level of private sector engagement, and this diagnostic highlights concrete opportunities that could mobilize private investment equivalent to around 4% of GDP."
The World Bank Group has partnered with Morocco for more than 65 years, supporting the country's development through financing, advisory services, and knowledge. This joint report launch reflects the World Bank Group's integrated approach to Morocco's next chapter -connecting macro reform with investable private sector opportunities and translating policy ambition into growth that works for all Moroccans.
