Casablanca – Morocco continued to show steady entrepreneurial activity during the opening months of 2026, with nearly 17,000 new businesses registered across the country between January and February, according to data released by the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC).

The latest figures indicate that 16,985 new companies were added to Morocco’s commercial registry during the first two months of the year, highlighting continued momentum in business formation despite global economic uncertainty and persistent regional market pressures.

The data reflects ongoing diversification in Morocco’s private sector, with strong activity concentrated in trade, construction, real estate, transport, services, and industrial activities. The figures also confirm the dominant role of Morocco’s main economic hubs, particularly the Casablanca-Settat region, which continues to attract the largest share of new business investment and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Legal entities dominate new registrations

OMPIC reported that legal entities represented the majority of newly established businesses, accounting for 75% of total registrations. Sole proprietorships, referred to as natural persons in the official data, represented the remaining 25%.

The figures suggest that entrepreneurs continue to favor structured corporate models rather than informal or individual activity, a trend that has accelerated in recent years as Morocco expands regulatory reforms and digital business registration procedures.

Among legal structures, the single-member limited liability company remained the preferred option for entrepreneurs. This category represented 66.4% of all newly created legal entities during the reporting period.

Traditional limited liability companies (SARL) followed with 32.7% of registrations, while other legal forms accounted for a relatively small share of new incorporations.

Analysts often view the strong preference for limited liability structures as an indicator of greater formalization within the economy, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises seeking easier access to financing, partnerships, and public procurement opportunities.

Casablanca-Settat maintains leadership position

Regional data once again confirmed the dominant role of the Casablanca-Settat region in Morocco’s business landscape.

The region accounted for 39.7% of all newly created legal entities nationwide, significantly ahead of other regions. Casablanca remains Morocco’s largest financial and commercial center, hosting major industrial groups, banking institutions, logistics operators, and corporate headquarters.

Rabat-Salé-Kénitra ranked second with 14% of newly established companies, followed by Marrakech-Safi with 12.7% and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima with 10.4%.

Together, these four regions represented 77% of all newly registered legal entities in Morocco during the first two months of 2026.

The concentration of new businesses in these regions reflects the continued importance of urban economic corridors supported by industrial infrastructure, transport connectivity, tourism activity, export industries, and expanding service sectors.

Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima in particular continues to strengthen its position as an industrial and logistics hub due to its automotive ecosystem, port infrastructure, and export-oriented manufacturing base linked to Tanger Med.

Trade and construction lead sectoral distribution

By sector, trade remained the leading area of activity for newly created companies, accounting for 28.4% of legal entity registrations.

Construction, public works, and real estate activities ranked second with 25%, reflecting continued demand linked to infrastructure projects, urban expansion, tourism investment, and housing development.

Various service activities represented 19% of newly established companies, while transport accounted for 7.8% and industrial activities represented 6.7%.

The distribution highlights the broad structure of Morocco’s economy, where commerce and services continue to generate a large share of entrepreneurial activity, while construction and logistics remain closely tied to ongoing investment projects and industrial expansion.

Industrial registrations also continue to benefit from Morocco’s positioning as a manufacturing platform serving European, African, and Middle Eastern markets, particularly in sectors such as automotive production, agribusiness, textiles, renewable energy equipment, and aeronautics.

Different regional trends for sole proprietorships

The geographical distribution of sole proprietorships differed from that of legal entities.

Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima ranked first in this category, accounting for 20.7% of registrations among individual businesses.

Casablanca-Settat followed with 13.4%, while the Oriental region represented 10.5% of registrations. Rabat-Salé-Kénitra accounted for 10.3%, and Fez-Meknes represented 10.1%.

The stronger performance of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima in sole proprietorship registrations may reflect the dynamism of small commercial activities, logistics services, and self-employment initiatives linked to trade and industrial ecosystems in northern Morocco.

Meanwhile, the Oriental region’s position among the leading areas for individual business creation highlights continued entrepreneurial activity outside Morocco’s traditional economic centers.

Commercial name registrations remain high

OMPIC also reported that 23,652 commercial names were approved between January and February 2026.

Commercial name approvals are considered an important indicator of entrepreneurial activity because they often represent the first formal step in the company creation process.

The continued rise in these approvals suggests sustained interest in launching new business ventures across multiple sectors of the economy.

Broader economic context

The latest business creation figures come as Morocco continues implementing economic modernization strategies aimed at encouraging private investment, supporting entrepreneurship, and strengthening regional economic competitiveness.

Authorities have increasingly focused on simplifying administrative procedures, digitalizing registration services, and improving the business environment to attract both domestic and foreign investment.

At the same time, Morocco’s strategic positioning near European markets, its industrial infrastructure, expanding logistics network, and multiple free trade agreements continue to support new business activity.

While challenges linked to inflation, financing costs, and international economic uncertainty remain present, the pace of new company creation during the opening months of 2026 indicates that entrepreneurial confidence has remained relatively resilient across several sectors of the Moroccan economy.