Morocco has signed a deal with British tech firm Nexus Core Systems to build what it says will be Africa’s first AI Factory. The announcement was made at the GITEX Africa 2026 tech event.
The agreement was signed with the Ministry of Digital Transition, the Ministry of Investment and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development. The project is part of the country’s Digital Morocco 2030 plan.
The project will cost 12 billion dirhams, around $1.2bn, and will be built in two stages.
The first stage will be in Nouaceur near Casablanca. It will cost 5 billion dirhams, provide 16MW of computing power and create 50 high-skill jobs.
The second stage will add a site in northern Morocco. It will cost 7 billion dirhams, raise total capacity to 36MW and create 125 specialist jobs by the end of 2027.
The AI Factory will include a powerful computing centre, a training centre to develop skills and a hub to support local startups.
Unlike normal data centres, this site will focus on training advanced artificial intelligence systems. It is expected to use Nvidia Blackwell GB200 chips. Officials say keeping this infrastructure in Morocco means sensitive data can be processed locally instead of abroad.
The project will run entirely on renewable energy through a partnership with TAQA Morocco. The government says this will help cut the environmental impact of energy-hungry AI computing and position Morocco as a hub for green AI.
Officials say Morocco’s strong internet cable connections to Europe and its political stability helped attract foreign tech investment. The country wants to act as a digital bridge between Africa and Europe.
The project supports the Maroc IA 2030 plan, which aims to add $10bn to the economy, train 200,000 people in digital and AI skills and create a network of Al Jazari AI institutes.
Nexus Core Systems has named Azzedine Zarroura as head of its Moroccan branch. The government says the goal is to help Morocco become a producer of AI technology rather than just a user.
