Morocco's Flourishing Trade with Africa
On October 15, 2026, the Office of Foreign Exchange in Morocco unveiled its annual statistical reports detailing the country’s external trade for the year 2025. The data revealed that nine African nations significantly contributed to Morocco's export portfolio, each surpassing the $100 million mark, which equates to approximately 935 million dirhams at the 2025 average exchange rate of 1 USD to 9.34 dirhams. These nations include Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Senegal, Tunisia, Ghana, Egypt, Guinea, Benin, and Mali. This analysis not only provides a ranking of these countries but also highlights the intricate commercial dynamics and geographical trade relations that extend beyond mere numerical standings.
The Office of Foreign Exchange established a clear hierarchy in export values, with Côte d'Ivoire emerging as Morocco's foremost trade partner, receiving approximately $433 million (4.048 billion dirhams) in exports for 2025. This figure represents a robust increase of 13.2%, constituting 0.9% of Morocco's total exports. Following closely is Mauritania, with exports valued at around $395 million (3.694 billion dirhams), marking an 11.3% growth and accounting for 0.8% of the total. In contrast, Senegal saw a decline, with exports dropping to about $294 million (2.752 billion dirhams), reflecting a downturn of 9.3% and representing only 0.6% of Morocco's total exports. Notably, Tunisia exhibited one of the highest growth rates at 52.6%, with exports reaching approximately $234 million (2.183 billion dirhams), contributing 0.5% to the total.
Trade Overview and Economic Impact
The detailed statistics from the Office of Foreign Exchange illustrate that these nine countries collectively accounted for around $2.158 billion of the total $3.245 billion in Moroccan exports to Africa, which indicates that they represent an impressive 66.5% of Morocco's total trade with the continent. Despite the strong performance in these key markets, the overall exports to Africa witnessed a decline of 4.1% in 2025 compared to the previous year. In contrast, Moroccan imports from Africa surged by 19.2%, reaching $3.113 billion (29.100 billion dirhams), which narrowed the trade surplus with the continent to $128 million (1.2 billion dirhams) – a stark decrease of 82.9% from the previous year.
The report raises important considerations regarding Morocco's trade strategy, particularly as the country faces a contraction in its overall exports to Africa despite a growth in imports. The leading export category remains natural and chemical fertilizers, generating $765 million (7.154 billion dirhams), which constitutes 23.6% of total exports to Africa, albeit with a significant decrease of 25.8% from 2024. This decline in the primary export product poses a challenge to Morocco’s trading position. However, it is noteworthy that innovative initiatives, such as the establishment of the Digital Farming School in Côte d'Ivoire, aim to cultivate expertise and technological solutions tailored to the African agricultural landscape, representing a strategic shift in Morocco's approach to fostering trade relations.
In summary, while Morocco's trade with these nine African nations exceeds $100 million each, it is crucial for the country to navigate the complexities of these relationships by maintaining strong performance in high-value markets, stimulating growth dynamics, and addressing the declines observed in others. The evolving commercial landscape necessitates a focus on diversification and resilience in the face of fluctuating export conditions.
As reported by afrique.le360.ma.
