ICT
From The Report: Morocco 2019
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Economic growth, coupled with the liberalisation of the sector in the 1990s, has led to the expansion of Morocco’s ICT sector, which is also underpinned by high penetration levels, as well as policies conducive to the development of related services and their incorporation into everyday business activities. Meanwhile, a focus on e-government and the digitisation of the economy – along with improvements to mobile data services, which are playing an ever-greater role – are likely to lead to continuing positive performance. The mobile telecoms segment is the most dynamic in the industry, with mobile data services leading the way. Although it still lags behind telecoms in terms of dynamism, the IT sector will likely benefit from the implementation of the government’s Digital Morocco Plan 2020. By establishing a dedicated agency for IT development, Moroccan authorities have underlined the importance for the country’s future development of transitioning to a digital economy. However, for the strategy to succeed, efforts to bridge the digital divide and increase penetration must be kept on track. This chapter contains interviews with Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz, President, Federation of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Offshoring, and President, Gfi Africa; and Mehdi Alaoui, Founder and CEO, LaFactory, and Vice-president, Moroccan Federation of IT, Telecommunications and Offshoring.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Data drive: While digital expansion and market competition are regulatory priorities, mobile usage fuels the sector’s expansion
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Economic growth, coupled with the liberalisation of the sector in the 1990s, has led to the expansion of Morocco’s ICT sector, which is also underpinned by high penetration levels and policies conducive to the development of related services and their incorporation into everyday business activities. “The Fourth Industrial Revolution is already under way and solutions such as 3D printing will soon benefit Morocco and the rest of Africa,” Salah Ouardi, Morocco managing director of HP,…

Interview

New solutions: Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz, President, Federation of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Offshoring; and President, GFI Africa, on the role of the private sector in driving digitisation
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Interview:Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz What are the main aims of the Digital Morocco Plan 2020, and how will they be achieved? SALOUA KARKRI-BELKEZIZ: The strategy is based on three main pillars. The first is the digital transformation of the national economy, through the rollout of e-governance projects aimed at reducing inequality. In a recent speech, King Mohammed VI encouraged collaboration between all government departments through the creation of a trans-ministerial gateway for administrative…

Interview

From the ground up: Mehdi Alaoui, Founder and CEO, LaFactory; and Vice-President, Moroccan Federation of IT, Telecommunications and Offshoring, on ongoing efforts to support start-ups
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Interview:Mehdi Alaoui How can public policy and the broader entrepreneurial environment encourage the proliferation and maturation of start-ups? MEHDI ALAOUI: Since 2011 a number of stakeholders have inspired entrepreneurs and students to innovate. There have been competitions and pitches from start-ups to investors, even on the international level. We have to continue building on that momentum. To transform hope into results, we need to be able to see start-ups succeed, and that success…

Analysis

Kick-starting innovation: Regulatory support, state-backed financing and improved infrastructure are paving the way for start-ups
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Much of Morocco’s economy is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which employ 80% of the workforce, but often have little capacity for investment and face challenges accessing initial financing – in particular for innovative business plans. Despite these challenges, several factors bode well for the development of the country’s emerging start-up ecosystem, including a supportive regulatory environment and a lowered barrier to entry for digital entrepreneurs due to…

Analysis

Expanded reach: Developing a 4G network has become critical for the provision of data services
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The quick adoption of mobile communication services in Morocco has been supported by the deployment of 4G services across the country, allowing for the provision of high-quality services and setting the stage for the transition from a telecoms sector dominated by voice to data. Since it was first launched in the kingdom in 2015, the 4G network expanded quickly as the three operators – Maroc Telecom, Orange Morocco and Wana Corporate’s Inwi – made access and data delivery cornerstones…

Overview

Building blocks: Blockchain technology has applications that could revolutionise trade and provide opportunities for the developing world
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Blockchain – the distributed-ledger technology that underpins cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin – appears set to transform a wide variety of industries and perhaps fundamentally change the way business is conducted around the globe. While the technology is still taking off and its potential is not fully known, many emerging markets are hoping that it will allow them to leapfrog older infrastructure and tackle a range of challenges, including centralised database development, corruption and fraud, and persistently high transaction costs for electronic payments. Blockchain Explained A blockchain is a cryptographically protected, distributed…