The project will be developed in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Free Trade Zone and will establish the first integrated cathode-to-cell battery manufacturing facility in both Africa and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The AfDB also said it plans to mobilize up to €141 million in additional financing from development partners under the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD), where it is acting as the project’s mandated lead arranger.
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Led by China’s Gotion High-Tech Co. Ltd., a global battery manufacturer listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, the factory will initially produce 10 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of lithium iron phosphate battery cells and battery packs for electric vehicles, with plans to eventually expand capacity to 100 GWh.
The project marks another milestone in Morocco’s strategy to position itself as a regional hub for electric vehicle manufacturing and green industrial value chains.
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“Battery storage is the missing link in Africa’s clean energy transition,” said Kevin Kariuki, the African Development Bank’s vice president for power, energy, climate and green growth.
“A facility of this scale, powered primarily by renewable energy, strengthens the foundations for the large-scale integration of solar and wind power... This is exactly the kind of project that will deliver reliable, low-carbon energy while creating green industrial jobs and building the resilient value chains Africa needs.”
Achraf Tarsim, the Bank’s country manager for Morocco, said the gigafactory would strengthen the Kingdom’s industrial competitiveness while accelerating its emergence as Africa’s manufacturing hub for sustainable mobility.
“It will help foster an African industrial ecosystem for batteries and electric vehicles while promoting the local beneficiation of critical minerals essential to the energy transition,” he said.
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Beyond its industrial significance, the project’s first phase is expected to create more than 600 direct jobs and achieve a 70% local integration rate, supporting skills development and the expansion of domestic industrial supply chains.
According to the AfDB, the investment aligns with the institution’s strategic priorities by promoting resilient infrastructure, accelerating industrialization, adding value to Africa’s natural resources and strengthening regional integration.
The project is also expected to bolster Africa’s position in global clean energy and electric mobility value chains while supporting the continent’s transition toward a low-carbon economy through expanded battery production and energy storage capacity.
