Three regions account for over half of Morocco’s wealth in 2022, HCP report finds

Morocco’s national economy showed modest growth in 2022, with the gross domestic product (GDP) reaching 1,296 billion MAD in volume terms, a 1.5% increase from the previous year. At current prices, GDP rose to 1,330.5 billion MAD, reflecting a 4.2% growth, according to the High Commissioner for Planning (HCP).

The HCP’s report underscores significant regional disparities in economic performance. Four regions exceeded the national average growth rate of 1.5%. The Souss-Massa region led with a robust growth rate of 7.5%, followed by Rabat-Sale-Kénitra at 5.2%, Marrakech-Safi at 4.6%, and Laâyoune-Saguia al Hamra at 2.9%.

Conversely, six regions experienced growth below the national average, with rates ranging from 1.3% in Guelmim-Oued Noun and Drâa-Tafilalet to a mere 0.2% in Casablanca-Settat. Béni Mellal-Khenifra and Fes-Meknes saw negative growth, recording declines of 4.7% and 1.9%, respectively.

In terms of GDP contribution, three regions dominate, accounting for 57.9% of national wealth. Casablanca-Settat leads with 31.4%, followed by Rabat-Sale-Kenitra at 16.1%, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima at 10.4%.

Five additional regions contribute 33.5% of GDP, with Marrakech-Safi, Fès-Meknes, Souss-Massa, Beni Mellal-Khenifra, and Oriental making notable contributions.

The remaining regions, including Drâa-Tafilalet and the southern areas, account for only 7.9% of GDP, highlighting significant regional economic imbalances. The average gap between regional and national GDP rose slightly from 72 billion MAD in 2021 to 73.1 billion MAD in 2022.

The report also reveals sectoral disparities. Primary activities (agriculture and fishing) make up 9.8% of national GDP but are more prominent in some regions. For instance, they constitute 21.3% of GDP in Fes-Meknès and 19.3% in Drâa-Tafilalet, whereas Casablanca-Settat contributes just 3.2%. Secondary activities, including industry and mining, represent 25.9% of national GDP.

Casablanca-Settat (37.2%) and Laâyoune-Saguia al Hamra (35.1%) exceed this average. Service activities account for over half of national wealth (54.6%), with regions like Guelmim-Oued Noun and Dakhla-Oued-Ed-Dahab heavily reliant on services, making up 73.9% and 67.9% of GDP respectively.

GDP per capita, an important measure of living standards, was 36,284 MAD nationally in 2022. However, this figure varies significantly by region. Dakhla-Oued-Ed-Dahab leads with a GDP per capita of 80,996 MAD, while Laâyoune-Saguia al Hamra follows with 71,246 MAD. On the lower end, Marrakech-Safi has a GDP per capita of 22,730 MAD, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima has 35,641 MAD.

The dispersion of GDP per capita has slightly decreased, with the average gap remaining substantial at 14,552 MAD, down from 14,617 MAD in 2021.

Household final consumption expenditure (DCFM) totaled 816 billion MAD in 2022. Regions including Casablanca-Settat, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, and Fes-Meknes accounted for 62.9% of this expenditure.

Other regions, such as Marrakech-Safi, Souss-Massa, and Oriental, shared a quarter of the DCFM, while the remaining five regions contributed only 11.7%. The disparity in consumption expenditure has increased, with the average absolute gap rising from 3,155 MAD in 2021 to 3,345 MAD in 2022.