Direct social aid program supports 3.9 million Moroccan households

Tuesday 09 - 15:06

By: Dakir Madiha

Direct social aid program supports 3.9 million Moroccan households

The National Agency for Social Support Agence Nationale du Soutien Social reported that Morocco’s direct social aid program has reached 3.9 million households since its launch, covering 5.5 million children and 1.7 million elderly people. The figures were published in its 2025 activity report, which outlines the first full year of implementation of the national social assistance system.

The program operates through the Unified Social Registry Registre Social Unifié, which identifies vulnerable households and directs aid based on territorial and socioeconomic conditions. According to the agency, around 60 percent of beneficiaries live in rural areas, reflecting a close alignment between poverty distribution and beneficiary mapping across the country.

Financial support has reached 51 billion dirhams between December 2023 and December 2025. The agency states that annual spending represents about 2 percent of gross domestic product, above the range typically observed in many developing economies, where social transfers often range between 0.5 and 1.5 percent of GDP. Officials present this level of investment as part of a broader shift toward a structured social state model.

The program has also introduced field-based social representation in pilot form in El Jadida, aiming to move beyond cash transfers toward structured inclusion pathways. Social referents are tasked with individual follow-up of beneficiaries in coordination with local institutions. The objective is to extend this model nationwide using a standardized approach adapted to territorial disparities.

A classification system was introduced to better understand household profiles. Beneficiaries are grouped into five categories: emerging households, transforming households, paired living units, emptied nests, and isolated individuals without support. The agency says this segmentation helps tailor interventions to different vulnerability patterns.

A field study conducted 18 months after launch found that direct social aid represents on average 18 percent of household income among beneficiaries. It also reports that 87 percent of households experienced reduced financial anxiety. Around 40 percent of respondents expressed a need for employment integration support, while 77 percent aim to secure higher education for their children.

The agency indicates that future phases will focus on “productive inclusion,” linking assistance with labor market access and education outcomes. This includes training pathways, employment facilitation, and targeted social support designed to reduce long term dependency and strengthen economic autonomy.

Administrative data show that the agency has established its legal and operational framework, recruited staff, and deployed digital systems during its first year. Budget execution highlights a clear separation between program funds and operational spending, with management costs representing less than 0.8 percent of total program expenditure.