Morocco Allocates $5,36 Billion to Support Purchasing Power

Agadir – Morocco’s Minister of Economic Inclusion, Younes Sekkouri, said on Monday that the government is allocating MAD 49.7 billion ($5,36 billion) by the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027 to support purchasing power and reducing social disparities.

“The government has made a significant financial effort. The figure we present today is MAD 49.7 billion ($5,36 billion) by the end of this year and the beginning of next year, MAD 49.7 billion ($5,36 billion) dedicated to supporting purchasing power and ensuring fairness for several segments of our society,” Sekkouri said during the meeting of the House of Representatives. 

He noted that such measures go beyond budgetary or technical negotiations, describing it as a process rooted in building trust between institutions, government bodies, social partners, employers, and representatives of various sectors, including agriculture.

“Before talking about budgets, spending or agreements, social dialogue is first and foremost about establishing a relationship of trust,” the minister maintained.

Presenting the outcomes of recent social dialogue measures, Sekkouri also pointed to a series of wage and income improvements implemented over the course of the current government mandate.

The guaranteed minimum interprofessional wage (SMIG) increased from MAD 14.81 ($1.60) per hour to MAD 17.9 ($1.93), resulting in a rise in net monthly income from around MAD 2,800 ($302.11) to MAD 3,400 ($366.85).

“At the start of the government’s term, the minimum wage in non-agricultural activities was MAD 14.81 per hour, and today it has reached MAD 17.90 per hour. In monthly terms, it has increased from MAD 2,800 to MAD 3,400,” he stated. 

In the agricultural sector, the minimum wage (SMAG) rose from less than MAD 1,900 ($205) to MAD 2,400 ($258.95) in this month. 

The minister also recalled that while an initial general wage increase had not been feasible in 2023 due to economic constraints, a broader adjustment was later implemented, with a general increase of MAD 1,000 ($107.90) for public sector employees.

Sekkouri highlighted salary increases in the education sector. Around 325,000 civil servants have benefited from increases ranging from MAD 1,500 ($161.85) at the start of their careers to MAD 5,000 ($539.49).

In the private sector, income gains were also supported through a revision of income tax, leading to an average increase of approximately MAD 400 ($43.16) in employee earnings. 

These measures came to face cost of living pressures, in which Morocco recorded a 1.2% rise in inflation in March, driven primarily by increases in food and fuel prices. 

These challenges are caused by the unstable global energy markets amid the war in the Middle East. Periods of geopolitical and supply-chain uncertainty continue to weigh on fuel prices internationally, which in turn is reflected in domestic transport and production costs. 

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