Morocco’s Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, has announced that the country is planning an imminent rollout of transformative 5G internet as part of its preparations to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking during a congregation at the House of Representatives, Seghrouchni detailed the government’s connectivity plans, which include achieving 5G coverage for 25% of the population by 2026 and 70% by 2030. The cities hosting World Cup matches—Agadir, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat, and Tangier—will receive comprehensive 5G coverage to ensure continuous, high-speed internet access for residents and visitors.
Improving Morocco’s 5G coverage aligns with the country’s National Plan for High-Speed and Very High-Speed Internet Development.
The first phase, spanning 2018 to 2024, brought second-, third-, and fourth-generation telecom services to over 10,640 areas, achieving a 99% penetration rate. Al-Falah noted that the remaining remote regions will be connected via satellite due to their geographical isolation.
In phase two, satellite technology will be leveraged to expand coverage to 1,800 rural areas by 2026. Seghrouchni highlighted that residents in areas without terrestrial coverage would receive financial aid of up to MAD 2,500 (USD 243) per subscription as part of the satellite internet initiative. This initiative and supportive approach will benefit up to 4,000 users annually.
Additionally, 6,300 public administrative sites are set to be equipped with fibre-optic technology by the same year. By 2030, the initiative aims to expand fibre-optic access to 5.6 million homes, significantly enhancing digital service availability.
Seghrouchni emphasised the importance of these efforts in advancing Morocco’s telecommunications sector, adding that the government committed over US$ 834.8 million in 2023 to support telecommunications providers and accelerate the nation’s digital transformation.