Lekjaa Takes Over Morocco’s Finance Ministry in Government Reshuffle

Fouzi Lekjaa takes charge of Morocco’s finances. Until now the minister delegate in charge of the Budget, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation succeeds Nadia Fettah as head of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. His appointment was made official on Friday, October 16, at a ceremony presided over by King Mohammed VI at the Royal Palace in Rabat, during which members of Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri’s government were sworn in.

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The change marks a new stage in Fouzi Lekjaa’s career. He joined the Finance administration in 1997 and took charge of the Budget in 2011, before becoming a minister delegate in 2021. Five years later, he assumes responsibility for the entire department, now officially named the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Public Performance, according to the official statement published on Maroc.ma.

His promotion comes after he joined the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), a move made official last July. A prominent figure in Moroccan football, Lekjaa joined the party’s political bureau two months before the parliamentary elections. His name had already been mentioned in 2024 as a possible successor to Nadia Fettah at the Finance Ministry , during an earlier reshuffle plan.

The outgoing minister thus leaves the government after five years at the helm of the Finance Ministry. Appointed in October 2021 to Aziz Akhannouch’s government, Nadia Fettah oversaw, among other things, successive finance bills and the tax reforms undertaken during that period. She is not part of the new government, whose lineup was announced Friday.

Bourita and Laftit stay on as several ministries change hands

The change at the Finance Ministry does not come with a general reshuffle of the key ministries. Nasser Bourita retains Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad. Abdelouafi Laftit remains at the Interior Ministry, Abdellatif Ouahbi at Justice and Ahmed Toufiq at Habous and Islamic Affairs.

Other departments, however, see major changes. Nabil Benabdallah takes over the Ministry of National Education, Preschool, Vocational Training and Qualifications. Health and Social Protection are entrusted to Youns Bjijou, while Charafat Afailal becomes minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development.

The new government also includes a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation and Administrative Reform, entrusted to Ahmed Rahhou. Ryad Mezzour retains Industry and Trade, but his portfolio expands to include Investment and Economic Inclusion.

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The new government is based on a coalition of four parties: the PAM, Istiqlal, the USFP and the PPS. Together, they hold 207 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, nine more than an absolute majority. Aziz Akhannouch’s National Rally of Independents, which led the previous government, is no longer part of the alliance.

Another change to the government structure: Samir Belfkih takes over the Ministry of Territorial Development, Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy, while also becoming government spokesperson. Hassan Tariq is appointed secretary-general of the government. Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri now leads the administration, three weeks after the September 23 parliamentary elections, in which the PAM came first with 97 seats.