Africans’ bleak views of economic conditions match escalating poverty experience

While unemployment poses a serious challenge across Africa, Morocco stands out with a comparatively high employment rate. An Afrobarometer survey found roughly 52% of its citizens employed, positioning it favorably within the continent.

The same source noted that 31% of Moroccan respondents reported having full-time employment, while 21% stated they were employed part-time, and 11% indicated they were currently unemployed and actively seeking a job.

The Afrobarometer survey found managing the economy a top priority for 32% of Moroccans, ranking 16th in Africa. This contrasts sharply with Tunisia, where 92% prioritized it.

Notably, the proportion of Moroccans prioritizing economic management surged 24 percentage points between 2014/2015 and 2021/2023.

The present economic condition of Morocco appears to be viewed with mixed perceptions, according to the findings of the survey.

While 39% of Mroccans described it as fairly good, 35% considered it to be fairly bad. This stands in contrast to Mauritania, where more than half of citizens (61%)  perceived the economic condition as fairly good, and 31% as fairly bad.

The survey noted further that 43% of Moroccan respondents described their present living conditions as fairly good, while 26% characterized them as fairly bad.

In contrast, in Seychelles, over half of the citizens (57%) reported fairly good living conditions, while only 19% indicated fairly bad conditions.

Regarding economic conditions compared to 12 months ago,14% of Moroccans reported that they were much better, 35% said they remained the same, and 50% stated they were worse.

When asked about their expectations for economic conditions in Morocco in 12 months’ time, 31% of respondents anticipated them to be better, while 38% expected them to remain the same, and 27% believed they would worsen.