A private industrial 5G network deployed by Moroccan operator INWI in the Oriental region has been highlighted in the latest report from GSMA Intelligence on 5G monetization in the Middle East and North Africa, Challenge reported. The study presents the project as a potential model for developing smart factories in North Africa. INWI built the network in partnership with China Mobile and Huawei.
Published in November 2026 under the title “5G Monetization in MENA: From Network Leadership to Sustainable Returns”, the report examines how 5G investments can generate returns across the region. It identifies private networks as one of the main sources of value creation in the enterprise market, notably in industry, energy, port infrastructure and logistics. It also places Morocco among the “second wave” of 5G deployment markets, where the first high-value use cases are expected in major industrial hubs.
Announced in April 2026 and described as the country’s first private industrial 5G network, the project covers a 52-hectare industrial site. According to Challenge, the infrastructure is designed for Industry 4.0 uses such as process automation, real-time supervision, the Internet of Things, remote sensing and operations requiring highly reliable connectivity.
Challenge noted that private 5G offers a dedicated, secure communications environment suited to industrial sites. It can connect equipment, sensors and control systems simultaneously and allow fast, reliable data flows, which the magazine said could improve productivity and optimize processes.
The publication said the case illustrates a shift in the role of telecom operators, who are moving beyond supplying connectivity to taking part in the modernization of production tools and the emergence of new industrial models. It argued that such initiatives could help accelerate the adoption of smart industry in Morocco and more widely in North Africa.
