Morocco has entered a phase of accelerated population ageing, according to official data from the High Commission for Planning based on the 2024 census, marking a rapid shift in the country’s demographic structure.
In 2024, the number of people aged 60 and over reached 5.03 million, representing 13.8 percent of the total population. Just ten years earlier, in 2014, this group made up only 9.4 percent. That is a jump of nearly 59 percent in a single decade, a pace far faster than overall population growth.
Projections are even more striking, By 2050, Morocco is expected to have close to 10 million elderly people, meaning one in four Moroccans will be over 60.
The report points to growing vulnerability among seniors, especially as traditional family support systems weaken. Women are at the center of this challenge. While they make up slightly more than half of the elderly population, they face tougher living conditions.
More than a third of older women are widows, compared to just over 4 percent of men, increasing their exposure to poverty and social isolation.
Education remains another major problem. Illiteracy is still widespread among older Moroccans, affecting 58 percent of seniors. Among women, the figure rises to over 72 percent.
This lack of basic education limits access to information and digital services that are becoming essential in daily life.
Economically, only 16.1 percent of elderly people are still active in the labor market. Pension coverage is weak, especially for women.
About a third of older men receive a retirement pension, but for women the rate drops to less than 7 percent. As a result, many seniors depend entirely on family support or survive through informal work without social protection.
Health issues are also widespread. Nearly one in five elderly people lives with a disability, and the rate jumps to 38 percent among those over 75.
Although health insurance coverage has improved to include around 69 percent of seniors, strong gaps remain between cities and rural areas.
Rural elderly people are less covered and often live in homes lacking basic services such as clean water, electricity, and sanitation.
The HCP warns that Morocco’s current “demographic window” will not last forever. By 2050, the age dependency ratio is expected to rise sharply, putting heavy pressure on pension systems and healthcare services.
The report says that ageing, still largely ignored in public policy, will become a central issue in the coming decades. HCP calls for urgent action, including stronger social protection, better pensions, adapted housing, improved healthcare services, and policies to fight isolation.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.