Morocco’s cloud first policy transforms digital governance and economic strategy

Morocco has implemented a Cloud First Policy as a cornerstone of its Digital Morocco 2030 strategy, fundamentally changing how the government approaches digital infrastructure and services. The policy establishes cloud solutions as the mandatory default choice for all public administration technology investments.

Salma Tazi, Director of Cloud Infrastructure and Offshoring at the Ministry of Digital Transition, outlined the transformative scope of this initiative. “No investment will be planned or executed without first considering cloud solutions as a priority,” she emphasized, signaling a complete shift in public sector technology governance.

The implementation relies on three institutional pillars: a cloud excellence center developed with the Digital Development Agency to create technical standards, a national cloud observatory launching in 2027 to monitor market evolution and adoption rates, and comprehensive training programs helping government agencies manage cultural and institutional change.

This approach moves beyond simple technology modernization to reshape public governance around data management, operational flexibility, and security protocols. All ministries must rethink their data classification and management strategies, requiring significant capacity building across government departments.

The private sector will also benefit from this digital transformation. Currently, just 40 percent of small and medium enterprises utilize cloud services, according to 2024 research. The government plans incentive packages including “Move to Cloud” and “Post Move to Cloud” programs, with state assistance linked to job creation commitments.
Hicham Chiguer, president of Morocco’s Information Systems Users Association, praised the mandatory approach. “Sometimes you must impose it rather than offer choices,” he noted, referencing Portugal’s successful centralized IT governance model as an example.

Beyond cloud adoption, Morocco is embracing artificial intelligence through an emerging AI First strategy, positioning the nation as a digital hub connecting Africa and Europe.