Morocco ITO

Nearly half of Morocco's population is under 25, and yet youth unemployment in Moroccan cities is close to 40%.

Morocco has a growing IT outsourcing sector. It has a skilled, English- and French-speaking workforce, is close to the Netherlands and Europe, and is actively aiming to become the leading digital outsourcing hub in Africa. However, only a low number of Morocco’s youth have good jobs in the sector. And many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) cannot find or keep the young talent they need to grow their business.

Are you a European or Dutch company looking to outsource IT services? Reach out and connect to see whether we can link you to one of our Moroccan IT partners that offer a broad range of services.  

Project purpose  

Morocco's IT outsourcing sector already employs around 120,000 people. The government sees it as a major sector for economic growth and job creation. And with Morocco's geographic proximity to the Netherlands and Europe, and its young, educated workforce, the potential is real.

The sector faces challenges. Government support has focused mainly on attracting foreign direct investment and supporting start-ups. The government is expanding this focus to include SMEs that could significantly strengthen the creation of decent local jobs. SMEs are well positioned to generate decent local jobs. Many of them currently struggle to grow, to find good staff, and to compete on the Dutch and European markets.

Another challenge is the gap between the skills young people learn in education and what IT companies need. Even young people who have the right skills often cannot find the right opportunities. Companies cannot find them either.

CBI has developed 3 pathways to address this:  

1. Skills development: Work with reskilling partners and mentorship programmes to give young people the practical and soft skills that IT SMEs need, including client communication;  
2. Job matching: Match SMEs and young people through internship programmes, job fairs, university workshops, and AI-assisted profile matching;
3. SME export growth: Support companies to build an international client base by attending events like GITEX Europe in Berlin, through technical assistance and training, and giving them access to market intelligence on European Union (EU) opportunities.

On all 3 pathways, we involve the Youth Advisory Committee. This is a group of young IT professionals who advise on the project, challenge our programme design and the SMEs we work with, and create their own initiatives. They are working on a manifesto. In the manifesto, they present challenges facing young people in IT and provide advice for SMEs on how to better include youth. They also offer recommendations on female representation, and a platform to help young people find opportunities in the sector.

The goals of this CBI project are to:

• Help Moroccan IT SMEs grow their business and export to EU markets
• Support decent job creation for young people in the IT sector
• Strengthen the ecosystem around SMEs, including reskilling providers, sector associations, and matching services

Become a partner  

We are looking for partners who want to collaborate on decent work for young people and in the growth of Morocco's IT sector.

We are specifically interested in:

• European and Dutch companies that outsource IT services and are open to sourcing from Moroccan SMEs
• Reskilling organisations or training providers with expertise in IT or soft skills development for young people
• Sector associations or organisations that can help connect young IT graduates with SME employers
• Knowledge partners with experience in HR, youth employment, or IT sector development

We welcome both Dutch and other European partners.  

Reach out now

What does a partnership with CBI look like? 

CBI does not provide funding, butinvests in practical support and connections.

If you are a Dutch or European company, we can connect you directly to a vetted group of Moroccan IT SMEs at events like GITEX Europe in Berlin, or through our existing network. The 13 companies in our programme offer a wide range of services: They are not competitors but complementary.

If you are a knowledge or sector partner, we can offer collaboration on reskilling pilots, mentoring programmes, or sector-level activities. We work closely with APEBI and other ecosystem partners and can facilitate introductions.

There is no fee to become a CBI partner.

Partners

CBI is always looking for motivated partners who want to contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth in Morocco.

We are currently working with 13 Moroccan IT SMEs across a wide range of specialisations. The companies are:

We have signed Letters of Intent with key partners, including APEBI (the sector association), the Moroccan Leadership Institute (MLI), and Education for Employment (EFE). The Youth Advisory Committee helps shaping the project.

In June 2026, we co-facilitated a stand at GITEX Europe in Berlin together with APEBI and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), under the Morocco Now brand. Around 21 companies will participate, including 11 from our programme and around 10 from the wider sector. This is a great opportunity for different stakeholders to connect with Moroccan IT companies in person.

Collaborate with us

Would you like to help Morocco's IT sector create better jobs for young people and find reliable, skilled IT partners close to Europe? We would love to hear from you.

For questions or more information, please contact Henrique Hazelaar.

About CBI

CBI promotes sustainable production and trade between low-and middle-income countries and the Netherlands and Europe. We partner with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their ecosystem to strengthen their social and environmental sustainability.  

CBI is part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.