Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra accounted for more than 79% of the state land allocated to investment projects across Morocco in the first half of 2025, according to a report accompanying the 2026 draft budget.
The region received 27.7% of approved projects and 28.71% of planned investment, a smaller share than its land allocation. An official familiar with the projects attributed the difference largely to renewable energy installations, which require extensive space for equipment, transmission infrastructure and grid connections.
Nationally, 148 projects received land from the state’s private estate, covering about 20,771 hectares. They represent more than 27.9 billion dirhams in planned investment and an estimated 9,514 jobs.
Those figures describe allocations and projections, rather than completed projects or investment already delivered, said Ibrahim Bilali Souih, a consultant in territorial development and a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs.
Souih said average planned investment per project was broadly comparable inside and outside Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra, at roughly 190 million dirhams. Land use differed sharply: around 400 hectares per project in the region, against about 41 hectares elsewhere.
Energy projects accounted nationally for nearly 80% of allocated land and more than 66% of planned investment, reinforcing the importance of project type in explaining the regional distribution.
Dakhla-Oued Ed Dahab received 27.03% of approved projects. Together, the two regions accounted for more than half the national total. Dakhla also represented a substantial share of projected employment, while Laayoune stood out for its land allocation and planned investment.
The official, who requested anonymity, said renewable energy development was proceeding alongside roads, ports, economic zones and other infrastructure.
The aim, the official said, was to attract industrial, logistics and service businesses that could benefit from access to clean energy.
Souih placed the allocations within Morocco’s broader development strategy for the southern regions, linking investment decisions to economic integration and the state’s territorial priorities.
He said the central test would be whether allocated land becomes operating projects that generate production, jobs and wider opportunities for surrounding communities. Expanding Laayoune’s role as a production center, he argued, should also strengthen economic links with neighboring areas.
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