Morocco’s Cultural and Creative Industries: Key to Growth and Global Spotlight at 2030 World Cup

Morocco’s cultural and creative industries (CCI) are emerging as a significant economic force, generating 43 billion dirhams in revenue in 2023 and employing over 116,000 people, according to a strategic analysis launched by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco. The sector contributed 2.4 percent of national GDP that year, placing it on par with capital-intensive industries such as extractive sectors and transport and logistics, and surpassing employment levels in healthcare and financial services.

The IFC report, unveiled during GITEX Africa 2026 in Marrakech, highlights strong growth momentum, with total CCI revenues rising 18 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year. Fashion and design led this expansion with a 46 percent surge, followed by architecture at 31 percent and traditional crafts at 18 percent. Live events and performing arts more than doubled their revenues, reflecting dynamic activity across sub-sectors.

The sector demonstrates notable labor intensity, creating 3.7 jobs per million dirhams of value added — higher than the 3.2 jobs per million dirhams in manufacturing. Women hold 34 percent of jobs in the CCI, and the industries serve as a key pathway into formal employment for young people, with nearly 78,000 of the 116,000 positions classified as formal jobs.

Despite its scale and growth, the sector faces a persistent financing gap. In 2021, cultural and creative industries received less than 0.5 percent of all business credit in Morocco, with only 3 percent of creative enterprises accessing external bank financing. Total sector financial debt amounted to 1.3 billion dirhams, representing roughly 0.2 percent of national loan portfolios. On average, creative businesses self-finance 76 percent of their activities, a figure that exceeds 95 percent in events and publishing.

The upcoming 2030 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Morocco, is viewed as a transformative opportunity to accelerate development in the cultural and creative industries. Industry leaders and officials, including Medhi Bensaid, Morocco’s Minister of Culture, have emphasized that the global event will provide a platform to showcase the kingdom’s cultural richness and creative potential on an international stage.

Amal Idrissi, a noted commentator on the sector, observed that the central challenge lies not in the potential of the industries but in their bankability — underscoring the need for tailored financial products and greater confidence from lending institutions to bridge the existing financing divide.