Financial centers are emerging as critical drivers in the practical rollout of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Speaking in Rabat during the 2025 Africa Investment Forum Market Days, Lamia Merzouki, Deputy CEO of Casablanca Finance City (CFC), called for a coordinated push to leverage these platforms in accelerating the continent’s economic integration.
Participating in a panel focused on the private sector’s role in implementing the AfCFTA, Merzouki argued that Africa’s financial hubs hold significant power to mobilize capital and concentrate expertise—two assets essential to the continent’s development ambitions. She outlined a four-pillar strategy to support this effort.
The first priority, she explained, is to formalize public-private dialogue by creating structured engagement channels between businesses and governments. This includes setting up a market observatory that would provide relevant data and practical tools to help private actors navigate African economies more effectively.
The second focus is on addressing infrastructure gaps that continue to hinder Africa’s industrial productivity. Financial centers, Merzouki noted, can act as catalysts by structuring investment corridors and financing large-scale, complex infrastructure projects.
Third, she stressed the importance of regulatory alignment. Greater cooperation between financial regulators across Africa is needed to harmonize legal and operational frameworks. Without this, she warned, financial integration will remain a distant goal.
The final pillar centers on spreading best practices, particularly in facilitating the movement of people and capital. Merzouki cited a joint initiative with Tokyo and several African financial centers aimed at showcasing the continent’s investment potential to Japanese stakeholders.
She also highlighted Casablanca’s growing importance as a launchpad for transformative projects. CFC is home to Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform managing over $20 billion in projects across the continent—operations led from the heart of Morocco’s financial capital.
Merzouki underscored the dual need to attract not only investors but also skilled professionals. Clustering capital and talent, she said, creates a strategic advantage for advancing AfCFTA-related initiatives and scaling impact.
Since its establishment in 2010, Casablanca Finance City has positioned itself as a committed partner in Africa’s integration process. Its model is based on offering businesses tangible operational advantages: fast-tracked residency permits, flexible foreign exchange management, and streamlined access to international talent. These benefits are supported by a strong legal framework, including the Casablanca International Mediation and Arbitration Center, created to bolster transaction security and investor confidence.
In closing, Merzouki praised the collaborative work between African financial regulators. She noted that a cooperation agreement signed a decade ago between Morocco’s AMMC and its West and Central African counterparts has already brought significant alignment in regulatory frameworks—an important step toward making regional financial integration a reality.
