Business Features Finance Headlines Maghreb

Morocco’s Foreign Investment Surges 63% in First Quarter of 2025

Morocco recorded a dramatic 63% increase in foreign direct investment during the first quarter of 2025, signaling robust investor confidence in the kingdom’s industrial transformation and strategic positioning as a nearshoring hub for European markets. According to Investment Minister Karim Zidan, Morocco attracted over 9.15 billion dirhams ($992 million) in net FDI flows by March […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco’s tax expenditures reach 32 billion Dirhams despite reform efforts

Morocco’s tax expenditures have risen to 32.1 billion dirhams in 2025, reflecting persistent challenges in the government’s efforts to rationalize fiscal incentives despite a broader reform agenda aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in public spending. Tax expenditures as a percentage of GDP have declined from 2.9% in 2022 to 2.1% in 2024, primarily due […]

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Algeria risks bleak economic prospects in 2026 as Oil prices slump

Algeria’s state-led economic model faces growing vulnerabilities as global oil prices weaken and fiscal imbalances deepen, while diversification stalls. Latest IMF and World Bank assessments reveal a troubling mix of widening deficits, persistent unemployment, and distorted macro indicators that mask underlying fragility. The IMF projects average oil prices at $65.8 per barrel in 2026, down […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco: Public sector monthly salaries reach 10,600 Dirhams in average

Morocco’s civil servants are earning an average net monthly salary of 10,600 dirhams in 2025, marking a substantial 43.6% increase over the past decade, according to the government’s human resources report accompanying the 2026 Finance Bill. The figure represents a significant improvement from 7,381 dirhams recorded in 2015. Minister of Economic Inclusion Younes Sekkouri confirmed […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

World Bank recognizes Morocco as Africa’s emerging financial powerhouse

Morocco has solidified its position as a regional financial and commercial hub for Africa, with Casablanca Finance City ranking as the continent’s leading financial center, according to a recent World Bank analysis highlighting the nation’s strategic economic transformation. The World Bank report emphasizes Morocco’s decade-long implementation of comprehensive financial market reforms designed to enhance efficiency, […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

BCP Group achieves international anti-corruption certification

Morocco’s BCP Group has obtained ISO 37001-2025 certification for its Anti-Bribery Management System, marking a significant milestone in the banking sector’s commitment to transparency and ethical governance, the institution announced following a comprehensive audit conducted July 21-25, 2025. The certification, delivered by Certi-Trust auditors, validates BCP’s compliance with international anti-corruption standards and reflects strategic prioritization […]

Africa Finance Headlines International

New debt tracker signals shift toward Africa’s financial sovereignty

In a landmark move to address Africa’s mounting debt crisis, finance ministers across the continent have adopted the African Debt Monitoring Mechanism (ADMM) — a real-time, continent-wide system designed to track both domestic and external debt. Approved during the 8th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s finance-focused committee in South Africa, the ADMM is hailed […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco’s 2026 budget targets growth, fiscal discipline & record investments

Morocco’s draft finance bill for 2026, presented to the Parliament by Economy and Finance Minister Nadia Fettah, outlines an ambitious roadmap to sustain growth while preserving fiscal stability. The plan projects GDP growth at 4.6%, inflation contained at 2%, and a budget deficit reduced to 3% of GDP, alongside a public debt ratio of 66%. […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia’s domestic borrowing gamble risks inflation and social unrest

The Tunisian government plans to seek $3.7 billion in direct financing from the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) in 2026, after borrowing $2.3 billion this year to cover urgent debt repayments. Total financing needs are projected at 27 billion dinars, with plans for a 7 billion dinar sukuk issuance, a first for the country. Public […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco’s 2026 budget to create 37,000 jobs, 70% in health and education

Morocco’s draft budget for 2026, unveiled Monday by Economy and Finance Minister Nadia Fettah, prioritizes social sectors by creating 36,895 new civil service positions, with health and education accounting for 70% of the total. According to the bill, 8,000 posts will go to the health sector, while 19,000 positions are earmarked for education, mainly to […]