Critical Minerals: Morocco offers British investors business opportunities up to £55 billion
The UK government has invited investors to tap into the huge business opportunities offered in Morocco’s critical minerals (CM) processing, driven by surging global demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies.
A report published by the British Foreign Office and Department for Business & Trade says the North African Kingdom provides a £35 billion to £55 billion opportunity as a near-shore critical minerals processing hub, supported by trade access, green energy and industrial infrastructure.
The document, prepared by the Growth Gateway program team in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group, positions Morocco as a strategic location for CMs, particularly for the EU and US battery markets.
The study highlights Morocco’s strategic advantages and showcases Morocco’s emerging role in the global battery value chain. It identifies investor-ready opportunities and encourages international investment and partnerships to help Morocco scale its processing capabilities and meet global demand for battery-grade materials.
With global supply chains heavily concentrated in China, Morocco’s proximity to Europe, Free Trade Agreements with both the EU and US, and inclusion in the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) make it uniquely placed to serve Western markets.
The British report says Morocco is the only African country listed as partner in the U.S. IRA, giving the Kingdom important advantage in critical mineral industry.
The country already hosts a thriving automotive export sector and is developing an integrated battery value chain, including projects in lithium, cobalt, graphite, and black mass recycling.
Morocco’s competitive advantages include a stable political environment, robust infrastructure (notably the Tangier Med Port), low-cost skilled labor, and significant renewable energy potential. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and targeted tax incentives further enhance its attractiveness for investors.
To unlock the country’s full potential, the report outlines 5 investor-ready opportunities: green energy financing, project finance for midstream processing, long-term offtake agreements black mass/scrap recycling and technology partnerships with local businesses including OCP and Managem.
Morocco has a projected £1.5 billion to £3 billion domestic battery market and access to £35 billion to £55 billion in EU and US markets by 2030, says the document, noting that the country presents a timely and strategic opportunity for UK investors and businesses to secure resilient, low-carbon supply chains while supporting sustainable development in North Africa.