Morocco to Raise Butane Gas Prices as Subsidy Reform Begins April 1

This decision, announced in October 2023 by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, is part of a comprehensive reform of the compensation system. The objective: to target social assistance and ease the pressure on public finances.

Questioned on the subject during the press conference on March 7, Mustapha Baitas, government spokesperson, reaffirmed the government’s determination to carry out this reform. "These measures are part of a vast social protection project," he stressed, recalling that the financing of direct aid to families requires adjustments.

In short, the government intends to move from a generalized subsidy logic to a targeted aid system. A direct social assistance program for underprivileged families, registered in the unified social register, has been put in place.

The increase in the price of butane gas will not be without impact on household budgets, especially the most fragile ones. This is why the government has planned a gradual increase, spread over three years. The goal is to allow Moroccans to adapt to this change and find alternatives, if necessary.

The decision is not without criticism. Some fear that the rise in gas prices will fuel inflation and exacerbate the already very difficult situation of the most destitute. The government, for its part, assures that the direct social assistance program will offset the impact of the measure on the most vulnerable households.