What Is Driving The Dawn Of Morocco’s Aviation Dominance?

The demand for new aircraft is rising. Forbes reports in its latest Global Fleet and MRO Market Forecast that the number of commercial aircraft worldwide will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5% between 2024 and 2034. 

This means by 2034 more than 36,400 aircraft will be in operation, an increase of 28% from today’s fleet of 28,400 aircraft. These figures only account for the increase in commercial aircraft. 

Technavio is also reporting that the global commercial and military aircraft MRO market size is estimated to grow by US$20.82bn from 2024 to 2028. 

As major aviation manufacturers ramp up production in response to this growth, one nation is emerging as a promising hub for aviation: Morocco. 

The North African Kingdom is amongst a wealth of countries seeking to secure contracts with big aerospace manufacturers including Boeing and Airbus to produce more planes and boost the aerospace sector. This comes after Morocco’s rise as a leading hub for African automation.

Historically, manufacturers outsource design, maintenance and production to countries like Thailand and Mexico, but Morocco is now emerging as a promising location to leverage skilled labour and diversify supply chains.

Supply chain diversification is a critical consideration for manufacturers today due to lessons learned during the pandemic.

Manufacturers struggled to rebound after the near-total halt of air traffic during global lockdowns, facing supply chain issues and delays. As demand continues to grow, manufacturers seek new locations to repair and build parts. 

Morocco’s aerospace sector in 2024 has a turnover exceeding US$2bn in exports, a staggering increase of 40% from 2023. Accounting for 142 companies and 20,000 job opportunities, the nation’s aerospace industry ranked 36th globally in 2020, coming third in the MENA region.

Morocco’s ambition to become a leading aerospace manufacturer is driven by the desire to diversify its economy and attract investment, led by government officials and several key manufacturers.

Diversifying the nation’s economy is critical considering the challenges it's facing with its reliance on agriculture.

A New Route: How morocco’s agrarian challenges are driving aerospace investment 

Morocco maintains a largely agrarian economy. Agriculture alone contributes close to 15% to Morocco’s GDP. Combined with the nation's fishing and forestry sectors, it employs 45% of Morocco’s workforce.

Because of the highly variable nature of rain-irrigation-based grain production, agriculture has a profound impact on Morocco’s economy, holding roles as both a major export industry and employer.

In recent years, with temperatures rising globally due to climate change, the Moroccan agricultural sector has been struggling with a water crisis. Prolonged droughts are damaging livelihoods, drying up dams and burdening farmers with debt. 

Crops are in danger, farms are struggling to profit and the land that can be irrigated in Morocco is shrinking. According to research from the World Bank in 2020, agriculture accounts for just under 90% of water consumption in Morocco.

Therefore it’s especially dire that the second-largest reservoir in the nation, Al Massira, which is central to farm irrigation and serves some major cities is drying up. Satellite images also show a stark transformation in Morocco’s overall landscape- from green to parched and beige. 

Farming is by its very nature precious, but this is on a whole different level. Morocco is one of several countries, like India, where climate change is having a profound and destructive impact. 

Fighting this ecological destruction is imperative, but so is recognising in the long-term the need to diversify economic focus beyond agriculture.

Part of this economic diversification is the Moroccan government's push to drive investment in train, automobile and plane manufacturing.

Take Off: The drive to boost Morocco's aerospace industry

There’s a notable push to embrace digital transformation and smart manufacturing across the Middle East, with governments in Saudi Arabia and UAE laying out their visions of a technologically agile future.

Moroccan officials are doing the same, actively seeking to entice major aircraft manufacturers to capture a greater share of the aerospace market. They’ve generously subsidised plane manufacturing and invested heavily in growing Moroccan airlines, in particular the state-owned Royal Air Maroc.

Morocco’s aviation industry spans around 130 companies that produce critical components including fuselages and wings.

Government and industry leaders have invested heavily in training skilled workers at IMA, an institute for Aeronautics professions based in Casablanca.

Morocco is outpacing Europe and North America in the proportion of women participating in its aerospace sector. Women account for 42% of the industry’s workforce, massively boosting their economic participation and diversifying the sector. 

Driving these developments are key players in Morocco’s aerospace industry, who are helping to position the country as a promising aviation leader.

Royal Air Maroc

Royal Air Maroc is Morocco’s state-owned carrier. The company has been helping to drive and popularise the development of Morocco’s aviation sector, attracting suppliers and expanding the workforce. 

“The needs are huge, and we are in a very good position,” Hamid Abbou, CEO of Royal Air Maroc commented in a statement to AP. 

“Most of the big suppliers in Europe are struggling to get people to work in this industry. We don’t have that issue.”

In addition to developing aerospace manufacturing, Royal Air Maroc promotes itself through an ambitious and patriotic brand discourse. Central to this is a celebration of Moroccan and African identity, and the air carrier's ambition to be a global air travel representative.

Safran Aircraft Airlines 

French manufacturer Safran Aircraft Engines aids the Moroccan government's ambition to make the country a competitive centre for the Aeronautics industry. Establishing itself in Morocco in 1999, Safran is today the leading African company maintaining the CFM56® engine, which is the world's highest-selling engine. 

Safran Aircraft Engines has been an established player in Morocco’s aviation industry, meeting rising demand and helping address ongoing labour shortages. 

MATIS Aerospace, a joint venture between Safran Electrical & Power and Boeing located in Nouaceur has been manufacturing electrical harnesses since 2001.

Safran Aircraft Airlines supplies 150,000 sets of wiring per year to Airbus, Dassault and Boeing in addition to engine harnesses for the LEAP®, CFM56® and GE90 programs.

The company has had a 25-year partnership with Royal Air Maroc, employing over 4,100 people in eight companies and joint ventures. The majority of the manufacturer’s employees, at 70%, are women. 

Safran has also partnered with Moroccan manufacturers and universities to further aerospace training in Morocco.

The group contributed to the creation of a training institute in 2011 in Casablanca, called the Institut de Formation aux Métiers de l’Aéronautique - IMA.

The institute trains new apprentices in the aeronautics trades, helping to build skills and development in the overall sector.

SABCA MAROC

Sabca, part of the Belgian Orizio Group, is a leading manufacturer in the aerospace industry. Sabca has been strengthening its activities in Morocco for more than a decade as Sabca Morocco, working with international groups including Daher, Airbus and Dassault Aviation. 

Recently Sabca Morocco invested more than $US19m into building a new plant, creating jobs for three hundred employees. The plant, designed to house a Pilatus PC-12 aerostructure assembly line is 16,000 square metres and located in Nouaceur’s industrial zone.

The move was celebrated at the first Aerospace African Forum held in Casablanca, as the plant runs at full capacity and helps ramp up customer production. 

Sabena Engineering

Sabena Engineering, a global maintenance solutions provider for Air Forces and civil operators has set up a maintenance centre at Morocco’s Ben Slimane Airport. 

The centre is the result of a strategic agreement between Sabena Engineering and the Moroccan government, providing aircraft repair, renewal and maintenance to the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces and other regional customers.

Maintenance Aero Maroc (MAM) will work to maintain military aircraft, primarily the C-130. MCO operations will also be made on Lockheed Martin’s F-16. 

Sticking the landing: Morocco’s aviation future

As manufacturers search the globe for new maintenance and production facilities, aiming to clear order backlogs, a new opportunity is emerging for aerospace development. 

For nations like Morocco that are seeking economic diversification, tapping into this opportunity could have a transformative impact. Leaders like Royal Air Maroc, Safran, SABCA Morocco and Sabena Engineering are helping to embrace this opportunity, shaping the aerospace prospects of the nation. 

By continuing to leverage its long-standing partnerships, pool of competitive labour and geographic proximity to Europe, Morocco may achieve its ambition of becoming a new centre for aviation development. 

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