Morocco climbs to 54th in Global Innovation Index 2026

Tuesday 29 September 2026 - 21:15

By: Azzat Manal

Morocco climbs to 54th in Global Innovation Index 2026

Morocco has climbed three places in the 2026 Global Innovation Index, reaching 54th position worldwide and recording its highest ranking to date, according to the latest edition of the index published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The improvement continues a steady upward trajectory for Morocco over recent years. The country ranked 75th in 2020 before moving to 57th in 2025 and now advancing to 54th in the 2026 edition. WIPO’s Global Innovation Index assesses the innovation performance of around 140 economies using a broad set of indicators covering both the resources available for innovation and the results generated by them.

Morocco also ranks fourth among lower-middle-income economies and seventh in the Northern Africa and Western Asia region. WIPO identifies Morocco, alongside economies such as China, India, Viet Nam, Türkiye, the Philippines and Indonesia, as part of a group of economies that have made significant progress in innovation rankings over the past decade.

The country’s performance reflects the growing role of industrial development, intellectual property and technology-intensive activities within its economy. Morocco has strengthened its position in areas such as industrial designs, trademarks and the commercial use of intangible assets, while continuing to expand its manufacturing and technology capabilities.

Among the indicators highlighted in the 2026 assessment, Morocco ranks fifth globally in industrial designs and eighth in intangible-asset intensity. It also places 13th for labour productivity growth and 16th for trademarks, pointing to increasing activity in areas linked to intellectual property and business competitiveness.

Morocco also performs relatively strongly in policy stability for business, where it ranks 22nd globally, while it is 23rd for the share of graduates in science and engineering disciplines. The country ranks 28th in high-technology manufacturing output, reflecting the growing importance of technology-intensive industrial activities.

The index distinguishes between innovation inputs, which include the resources, infrastructure and conditions that support innovation, and innovation outputs, which measure the knowledge, technology and creative results produced by an economy. Morocco ranks 76th for innovation inputs and 46th for innovation outputs.

The gap between these two measures indicates that Morocco is generating comparatively strong innovation results relative to its position on the input side. It also highlights the importance of strengthening research capacity, investment and links between universities, businesses and technology developers to sustain future progress.

The broader evolution of Morocco’s innovation ecosystem is taking place alongside the country’s efforts to attract investment in advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and other technology-intensive industries. Intellectual property, industrial design and branding are also becoming increasingly important as Moroccan companies seek to move toward higher-value activities.

WIPO’s analysis of innovation trends emphasizes the importance of connecting domestic expertise with international markets through global value chains, high-technology trade, digital services, design, branding and intellectual property. For emerging economies, these links can help transform research and technological capabilities into commercially viable products and services.

Maintaining Morocco’s progress will require continued investment in research and development, particularly within the private sector. Stronger cooperation between universities and companies, greater production of domestic knowledge and improved access to financing for startups and scale-ups are among the areas that can support further development.

Venture capital and other forms of innovation financing are particularly important for young companies seeking to expand beyond their initial markets. Strengthening these financing channels could help Moroccan startups translate technological ideas into products and services with wider commercial applications.

The Global Innovation Index is published annually by WIPO and provides a comparative assessment of national innovation ecosystems. Its indicators cover areas including institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market and business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs. WIPO describes the 2026 edition as an assessment of how economies are responding to rapid advances in fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced materials, semiconductors and clean energy.

Morocco’s rise to 54th place therefore adds to a longer-term improvement in its position within the global innovation landscape. The next stage will depend on whether the country can continue strengthening research and development, expand private-sector innovation and turn its growing technological and industrial capabilities into higher-value economic activity.