Morocco expects new foreign investments in the automotive and green hydrogen sectors

Based on the economic and financial report accompanying the draft finance law (PLF) for 2025, Morocco forecasts an increase in new foreign direct investments (FDI) in the automotive and green hydrogen sectors. 

This report, published on the website of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, recalls the decision of the Chinese high-tech company Gotion to set up a battery factory for electric vehicles in Morocco with an investment of 6.4 billion dollars, as announced by the company last June.  

It also notes that numerous projects have been announced for the production of green hydrogen in Morocco, especially after the launch of the L'Offre Maroc initiative, a programme for the development of this sector that envisages the production of more than 3 million tonnes of green hydrogen. 

The document indicates that, according to data from the Bureau de Change, the net flow of FDI in Morocco fell by 52% to 11.1 billion dirhams in 2023 due to a 14% drop in revenues to 34.6 billion dirhams and a 35.8% increase in expenditure to 23.5 billion dirhams. 

The data also show that France remains the leading investor country in Morocco, with 33% of total foreign investment in 2023, followed by the United Arab Emirates (10%), Britain (8%) and Spain (7%). 

In terms of sectors, industry and real estate were the most attractive fields in Morocco in 2023, with respective shares of 38% and 22% of total FDI received, ahead of transport (7%), energy and mining (6.4%) and tourism (6.3%). 

For 2024, net FDI inflows reached 15.2 billion dirhams during the first eight months of the year, 55.1% higher than in the same period last year. This growth is attributed to a 13.9% increase in revenues to 25.4 billion dirhams and an 18.6% decrease in expenditures to 10.1 billion dirhams.  

On the other hand, this report also shows a strengthening of the share of medium-technology manufactured products to 43.5% over the period 2014-2023, up from 28.6% between 2007 and 2013. This increase is due to the rise in exports of vehicles and household appliances. 

In contrast, the share of low-tech products has decreased from 22.2% on average between 2007 and 2013 to 16.5% during the second period, the report stresses. The share of exports of manufactured goods from natural resources also declined, from 26.9% between 2007 and 2013 to 16.7% during the 2014-2023 period.