Leveraging its natural resources and thriving automotive ecosystem, Morocco is positioning itself to become Africa’s—and potentially the world’s—leader in the electric battery industry by 2030.
Morocco is betting big on producing and exporting electric batteries, with support from Chinese industry giants. In March 2024, China’s BTR New Material Group announced a 3 billion dirham investment to build a cathode production plant—a critical battery component. The facility is expected to produce 50,000 tons annually and create over 2,500 direct jobs.
In Kenitra, the Sino-European group Gotion High-Tech, alongside the CNGR-Al Mada alliance, has broken ground on a massive electric battery factory. Costing 14 billion dirhams, this plant will manufacture lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries and is projected to generate 17,000 direct and indirect jobs. This ambitious project aims to integrate electromobility with energy storage solutions.
Studies highlight the electric battery sector as a promising opportunity for Africa, with the market potentially generating $10 to $15 billion annually across the continent. Morocco is well-positioned to capitalize on this thanks to its high-quality natural resources like cobalt and phosphate, a dynamic automotive industry, skilled workforce, and free trade agreements with Europe and the United States.
“We will be the only country in the Euro-African region capable of producing an electric vehicle from mine to car,” said Ryad Mezzour, Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, recently, shedding light on the kingdom’s bold vision for its automotive sector by 2030.
