Morocco is doubling down on gaming, not as entertainment, but as a strategic digital industry.
Powered by a landmark memorandum of understanding signed with Huawei this week, the North African country has set in motion a coordinated effort to industrialise its fast-growing gaming sector.
The esports deal is not just about video games but a concerted effort to grow talent pipelines, digital infrastructure, and position Morocco as a continental hub for interactive media.
At its core, the agreement will see Huawei equip developer workshops at the upcoming Morocco Gaming Expo in Rabat, while supporting the training and mentorship of select Moroccan game developers.
Huawei Morocco CEO David Li highlighted that the esports deal also opens the door for local teams to participate in Huawei’s global technology programmes, an important bridge between African creators and international markets.
“The gaming industry is now a strategic lever at the intersection of creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship. Through this partnership, we are taking a new step in building a competitive and innovative ecosystem,” he said.
Li believes that the timing is critical for Morocco’s gaming industry, which generated over $227 million in 2024 and is projected to approach $300 million by 2027. “This reflects a rapid local demand and a growing base of developers,” he said.
But beyond revenue, the government sees gaming as a gateway industry that feeds into artificial intelligence, animation, and software engineering.
Morocco’s minister of youth, culture and communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, has framed gaming as part of a wider creative economy strategy, backed by investments in training, startup incubation, and infrastructure such as Rabat Gaming City.
New university programmes and vocational tracks, from e-sports casting to game lab specialisation, are already being rolled out to align skills with industry demand.
The Huawei deal builds on these foundations. By combining public policy with private sector expertise, Morocco is effectively accelerating skills transfer, arguably the biggest bottleneck in Africa’s gaming ecosystem.
Across the continent, gaming is also quietly becoming a serious economic force. The continent’s youthful population, rising smartphone penetration, and expanding internet access are driving a surge in mobile gaming. While the continent still accounts for a small slice of the global industry, valued at over $300 billion annually, it is among the fastest-growing regions.
Countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya have led early momentum, but Morocco is carving out a distinct niche by tying gaming to formal education, export potential, and state-backed digital strategy.
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