Morocco Hub French Companies Africa Investment Strategy

The "Africa Forward" summit, organized on May 11 and 12 in Kenya, marks a diplomatic turning point. France is distancing itself from a francophone space shaken by recent coups d’état in the Sahel, with the Élysée favoring new partnerships. Yet on the ground, the private sector is accelerating. According to a Deloitte and Medef study analyzed by Les Echos, France now has more than 4,200 African subsidiaries. For Olivier Vincent of Bpifrance, the region is no longer a simple export market; it has become "a continent of production and co-industrialization."

On Bladi.net : The Illusion of French Banks’ Return Against Morocco’s Steamroller

In this vast reorganization, Morocco is asserting itself as the main launching pad for French companies. The Kingdom remains the leading destination for their investments. Major industrialists are anchoring themselves there to expand, like the BEL group which has manufactured its cheeses in Tangier since 1977. Even though nearly 45% of French capital is now oriented toward non-francophone zones, the Moroccan market retains its title as gateway to attack the rest of the continent.

On Bladi.net : After Société Générale, another French bank is leaving Morocco

The only downside: the financial sector’s disengagement. Historic institutions are selling their retail networks south of the Mediterranean, provoking Emmanuel Macron’s irritation. In Morocco, BNP Paribas is transferring its local subsidiary to the Holmarcom conglomerate, retaining only its investment and leasing branches. This withdrawal directly benefits the competition. Frédéric Wissocq, director at Coface, notes that this situation logically leaves "room for local or Moroccan banks," thus reshaping the regional economic landscape.