Morocco bets on video game industry to provide jobs and diversify economy

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco is laying down foundations to build a homegrown gaming industry by establishing a developer hub in the capital, training coders and launching programs to draw tech-savvy youth into the sector.

State officials invited developers, students and tech companies from around the world to a gaming expo in Rabat this week, where guests tested new games, competed in e-sports tournaments and heard about new initiatives to bring the burgeoning industry to Morocco. Attendees at the Morocco Gaming Expo battled through shooting games, explored immersive virtual reality worlds, tested educational platforms and mingled with mobile providers eager to stake their claim in the growing mobile gaming market.

The event, in its second year, is one of the few ways in which African countries are diversifying their economies and attracting new industries for their young workforces.

Morocco is positioning itself as one of Africa’s first countries to roll out targeted strategies for the gaming industry. Mehdi Ben Said, Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, said the government aims to both attract international game companies to Morocco and incentivize Moroccan developers to create their own products. With youth unemployment close to 30% and many young people eyeing opportunities abroad, the gaming industry could be a way to spark job growth and diversify opportunities, he said.

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“The objective is not only to generate revenue, but also to empower youth,” Ben Said said. “We must offer real alternatives to our young people by opening up new career opportunities.”

With more than $200 billion in annual revenue and 3 billion players, the global market for video games is undergoing rapid growth. But even as smartphones have become ubiquitous in the Middle East and Africa, the industry has remained concentrated in East Asia, North America and Western Europe. Driven primarily by game sales, Morocco’s industry currently generates over $500 million annually, according to state officials, who aim to double this revenue by 2030.

Morocco is launching training programs in game design, programming and virtual reality alongside an industrial park where startups can incubate new games. The initiative includes a $26-million investment to open “Rabat Gaming City,” featuring training, co-working spaces and full-scale production studios.

For students the industry offers a chance to turn a passion into a career, said Fadwa Bezzazi, coordinator of Universite Mohammed V’s undergraduate club in computer science and virtual reality. Students, who are already spending money on mobile or PC games, want to find ways to put what they’re learning in the classroom into practice.

“I’m not going to say we’re preparing them for the future, because that future is already here,” she said.