Morocco ranks first in Africa for investment freedom and 17th globally

Friday 04 September 2026 - 17:15

By: Azzat Manal

Morocco ranks first in Africa for investment freedom and 17th globally

Morocco has strengthened its position as an investment destination, ranking first in Africa and 17th worldwide in the 2026 Investment Freedom Index, according to the latest data compiled by The Global Economy based on assessments by the U.S.-based Heritage Foundation.

Morocco scored 80 points out of 100, up from 75 in 2025. The five-point improvement represents the country’s strongest performance since its inclusion in the index more than three decades ago.

The result places Morocco 17th among 175 economies assessed, well above the global average of 53 points. The country shares its score with economies including Australia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Paraguay, Poland and the United States.

Luxembourg topped the global ranking with 95 points, while Bahrain, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, the Netherlands and Singapore were among the economies grouped at 90 points.

Morocco also recorded a clear lead at the continental level. Mauritius ranked second in Africa with 70 points, while Burkina Faso, Egypt and Mali each scored 65. The average score among the 51 African countries covered by the data stood at 45 points, leaving Morocco 35 points above the continental average.

The Investment Freedom Index focuses on the restrictions and obstacles that can affect investors operating within an economy or moving capital across borders. Rather than measuring the volume of investment itself, the indicator evaluates the extent to which regulatory, financial, security and institutional barriers can limit investment activity.

The assessment starts from a maximum score of 100, with points deducted according to the nature and severity of restrictions affecting investment in each country. Factors considered include bureaucratic procedures, land ownership restrictions, risks of expropriation, foreign-exchange controls, capital-transfer rules, security conditions and the quality of essential infrastructure.

Heritage Foundation assessments indicate that Moroccan and foreign investors are generally treated equally under the law. The Casablanca Stock Exchange also allows foreign investors to participate without specific restrictions, while Morocco’s financial sector has continued to develop and offers a range of financing options for businesses and investors.

The 2026 result is particularly significant in historical terms. Morocco’s score of 80 is its highest since 1995, when the available historical series begins. Over the 1995–2026 period, the country’s score ranged between 60 and 80 points, with an average of about 68.

The improvement comes as Morocco seeks to strengthen its role as a regional hub for foreign investment. Its geographic position between Europe and Africa, network of trade agreements, industrial development and expanding logistics infrastructure have supported efforts to attract international capital and establish the country as a platform for regional business activity.

However, the strong result in investment freedom should not be interpreted as an overall ranking of Morocco’s economic freedom. Heritage Foundation’s broader 2026 Index of Economic Freedom gave Morocco 61.8 points, placing it 83rd out of 184 economies and classifying the country as “moderately free.”

The distinction highlights the fact that investment freedom is only one component of the broader economic-freedom assessment. Nevertheless, Morocco’s rise to 17th globally and first in Africa signals, according to the methodology of the investment index, a relatively open environment for investors and reinforces the country’s ambitions to attract additional domestic and international capital.