Morocco has approved 89 investment projects worth 1.28 billion dirhams (US$139.6 million) under a new national programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises, the government said on Tuesday, signalling an accelerated push to boost jobs and revive private-sector investment.
The approvals came just six weeks after the launch of the programme targeting very small, small and medium-sized enterprises (VSMEs), according to Karim Zidane, minister delegate in charge of investment, convergence and the evaluation of public policies.
Addressing parliament, Zidane said the projects are expected to generate around 5,000 direct jobs in their initial phase, adding that employment creation could reach nearly 40,000 jobs annually if approvals continue at the current pace.
“The results recorded so far confirm the strong demand for this support mechanism and its potential economic and social impact,” Zidane told lawmakers during a session at the House of Representatives.
The SME support scheme is a cornerstone of the government’s broader strategy to reinvigorate investment and stimulate inclusive growth in an economy that has faced repeated shocks from drought, global inflation and slowing demand in key export markets.
Under the programme, eligible businesses benefit from a mix of standard incentives available across sectors, alongside targeted assistance for strategic firms and small and medium-sized enterprises deemed to have high growth or job-creation potential.
Zidane said this dual-track approach combining horizontal support measures with tailored interventions has already injected new momentum into investment activity across several regions of the country.
Morocco has made SMEs a policy priority, recognising their central role in employment. Small and medium-sized firms account for the vast majority of businesses nationwide and employ a large share of the workforce, yet many struggle with access to finance, administrative hurdles and uneven regional development.
More Read
The minister linked the early progress of the programme to broader reforms aimed at improving the business climate. He said 98 percent of the initiatives outlined in the government’s 2022–2026 business climate reform roadmap have already been launched.
Of those measures, 67 percent are at an advanced stage of implementation, Zidane said, describing the pace as evidence of “steady and tangible progress” in delivering reforms promised at the start of the government’s term.
The roadmap focuses on simplifying procedures, improving coordination between public institutions and upgrading services for investors and project promoters, areas long cited by businesses as obstacles to growth.
Zidane said the government intends to complete the remaining initiatives during the current year, keeping the reform agenda on track to be fully implemented within its original timeline.
A key feature of the strategy is decentralisation. To speed up decision-making and reduce administrative bottlenecks, the government has delegated the preparation, assessment, approval and disbursement of subsidies for investment projects worth less than 250 million dirhams (US$27.3 million) to the regional level.
This shift gives regional investment centres a central role in managing the SME support mechanism, bringing decisions closer to investors and tailoring support to local economic conditions.
“The objective is to improve efficiency, strengthen follow-up on the ground and reinforce the role of regions as drivers of economic development,” Zidane said.
Morocco has in recent years sought to rebalance growth away from a heavy reliance on agriculture and large-scale industrial projects, promoting entrepreneurship and private investment as engines of job creation.
The SME programme comes as the government faces pressure to deliver employment opportunities, particularly for young people, amid stubbornly high joblessness and rising living costs.
Analysts say the speed of the early approvals is notable in a system often criticised for slow procedures, but warn that the true test will lie in execution, access to financing and the long-term sustainability of supported businesses.
If the projected job figures materialise, the programme could become one of the most significant employment drivers of the current government’s term. For now, officials are betting that rapid approvals, decentralised management and sustained reform momentum will translate into lasting gains for Morocco’s small-business sector.
