Ahmed Toufiq: Over 2,200 Mosques Restored in Morocco Since 2010

Monday 29 June 2026 - 16:38

The national program for the rehabilitation of closed mosques continues to unfold across the Kingdom. Presenting the progress of the projects to the House of Representatives, the Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, stated that 2,200 mosques have been restored since the launch of this initiative in 2010, thanks to a total investment of 3.87 billion dirhams.

The minister specified that places of worship closed for security reasons are among the budgetary priorities of his department. However, the restoration of certain buildings requires heavy interventions, which may involve their demolition and complete reconstruction, leading to significant execution times and substantial funding.

Alongside the completed projects, the ministry is currently working on 505 mosques, with a cost approaching one billion dirhams. Additionally, 136 new projects are in the technical study phase and obtaining necessary permits, representing an estimated budget of 168 million dirhams.

Despite this momentum, Ahmed Toufiq acknowledged that the task remains considerable. To date, 1,485 mosques remain closed and require rehabilitation work estimated at nearly two billion dirhams. This situation is partly explained by regular inspections conducted under the supervision of local authorities, which lead to the closure of several hundred mosques each year due to risks for worshippers.

The rural world also plays a significant role in this strategy. The minister indicated that 1,544 mosques located in rural areas have already been rehabilitated out of a total of 3,183 concerned buildings, with an investment close to two billion dirhams. Work is currently ongoing in 397 other mosques, mobilizing nearly 652 million dirhams, while efforts are focused on securing the necessary funding to restore the remaining 1,121 mosques.

Ahmed Toufiq also emphasized that nearly 296 million dirhams are allocated each year to religious infrastructure in rural areas, accounting for about 41% of the ministry's annual investment budget. This allocation allows for the construction of new mosques, with fifteen already completed in various regions of the Kingdom at a total cost of 91 million dirhams.

Beyond restoration operations, the ministry is pursuing a vast program to modernize facilities. This includes the interior arrangement of mosques, equipping them with security devices such as fire extinguishers, and connecting more than 1,562 places of worship to the electrical grid to improve the reception conditions for worshippers and ensure their safety.