Shoppers in Dakhla will have a new place to buy groceries, household goods and electronics after retail group Marjane opened its latest hypermarket in the city. The 4,500-square-metre store is the group’s 45th hypermarket in Morocco and the first part of a 260 million dirham ($26.5m) investment in the region.
The new store cost 180 million dirhams ($18.3m) and is expected to create more than 200 direct and indirect jobs. It offers more than 30,000 products, ranging from food and household appliances to clothing and everyday essentials.
Marjane plans to invest a further 80 million dirhams ($8.1m) in a retail park next to the hypermarket. Covering 12,000 square metres, the development will bring together Moroccan and international brands, restaurants, cafes overlooking the Dakhla lagoon and leisure facilities. It is expected to create another 300 jobs.
The opening took place on 31 October, coinciding with the Fête de l’Unité (Unity Day).
Mhamed Chlyeh, managing director of Marjane Hypermarkets, said the investment was part of the group’s plans to support economic development in the Southern Provinces.
“The opening of our hypermarket in Dakhla reflects Marjane Group’s ambition to support the dynamics underway in the Southern Provinces and make a concrete contribution to enhancing the city’s attractiveness,” he said.
“Our goal is not only to expand our commercial network, but also to create a sustainable economic impact, support local employment opportunities, and enable the city’s residents to benefit from a diverse, high-quality commercial offering at competitive prices.”
He added: “We are also keen to establish a long-term presence that meets the expectations of citizens while taking into account the specific features and needs of the region.”
The company said it was also working with local suppliers, fisheries, cooperatives and dairy and meat producers to source more products from the Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab region.
The new hypermarket is expected to receive solar panels in 2027. The installation is part of Marjane’s plan to power all its eligible stores with solar energy by 2030.
The Dakhla opening is the latest step in the group’s expansion across the southern regions. Marjane first entered the area with a smaller hypermarket in Guelmim in 2014. The store has a sales area of 3,000 square metres.
The group expanded further in March 2024, opening its 42nd hypermarket in Laâyoune. That development involved a 210 million dirham ($21.4m) investment and covered 12,500 square metres, including a 5,500-square-metre sales area with more than 25,000 products.
The latest investment comes as major infrastructure projects reshape Dakhla’s economic prospects. The Dakhla Atlantic Port, a multi-billion-dirham project, is being developed to support commercial shipping, fishing and shipbuilding, with the aim of strengthening trade links with West Africa.
Construction of the port had reached 74% completion by late 2026, with delivery expected by the end of 2028.
Other companies are also expanding in the region. Vivo Energy Maroc, which operates Shell-branded service stations, said in October 2026 that its network in the Southern Provinces had grown to 40 stations.
Marjane’s two-phase development in Dakhla is expected to create more than 500 direct and indirect jobs once fully completed.
