Frontrunners Benin and Morocco fueling the upcoming wave of technological advancements in Francophone Africa
Booming Tech Ecosystems in Morocco and Benin
Morocco and Benin are making significant strides in their tech ecosystems, with a focus on AI, digitalization, and startups as central pillars of their economic strategies.
Morocco's Tech Advancements
Conferences on AI are held in Rabat, attracting ministries and agencies. The tech ecosystem in Morocco is maturing, becoming the most capitalized in the Francophone zone. The Marocco tech ecosystem stands out for its depth of capital, international openness, and infrastructure. Casablanca Finance City hosts over 240 multinational companies, making it the largest financial hub in Africa.
The Agence de Promotion des Investissements et des Exportations (API-An) plays a crucial role in Morocco's tech ecosystem. The agency manages the country's Startup Label law, which offers tax holidays, import duty reductions, and simplified procedures for early-stage businesses. The Morocco Fintech Center, a consortium of 15 banks, serves as a single point of contact for fintech.
Investment in venture capital in Morocco increased significantly in 2024, with figures suggesting $177 million compared to $17 million in 2023. The "startup" label, awarded to 15 companies across various sectors, offers tax exemptions, support, and visibility for three years.
Benin's Tech Revolution
Benin has made significant strides in digital governance, with over 560 public services digitized, eliminating frictions that slow down startups in other regions. The API-An also plays a crucial role in Benin's tech ecosystem, providing incubation, a single point of contact for startups, and actively promoting entrepreneurship.
Benin's tech ecosystem is focused on digital payment solutions, mobile banking services, ed-tech platforms, technology-driven agriculture, and logistics startups. Highlights of Benin's tech ecosystem include Kea Medicals, Ze'xpress, PreciAgri, Exportunity, and others.
Benin launched a national AI strategy in 2023, which is already operational, with a focus on chatbot legal advice, national data collection, and AI governance. The country has also made significant strides in digital resilience, with the strongest progress in African internet resilience, according to a report from March 2025.
Regional Collaboration
Benin is also leveraging technology to ease cross-border trade and strengthen regional ties with Nigeria, further expanding market access and opportunities for startups.
Grassroots Initiatives
Grassroots initiatives like Ecole 229 train young people in coding, app development, and digital tools, no degree required.
The Future of Tech in Morocco and Benin
Both Morocco and Benin are preparing to compete in a higher category, similar to Singapore or Rwanda, with initiatives such as digital governance, concrete political reforms, and prominent infrastructure projects. However, "growing" will require unlocking Series A/B funding, streamlining regulation, and expanding support beyond major metropolitan areas.
Overall, Morocco and Benin have well-organized, policy-driven, and digitally enabled startup ecosystems with government programs aligned to support innovation, talent cultivation, infrastructure development, and regional integration, positioning themselves as rising players in West African tech.
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References:
- The Next Wave Francophone Africa newsletter, 30th July 2025
- GITEX Africa, Marrakech 2025
- StartupBlink, Casablanca ranking 2025
- API-An, Benin
- Benin-Nigeria trade facilitation initiative
