Morocco ranks 22nd globally in intellectual property strength, leading African nations with a score of 59.21 in the 2025 International Intellectual Property Index. Despite significant progress in patent protections and treaty ratifications, challenges remain in enforcement, innovation, and the development of orphan medicinal products. Morocco is leading African nations in intellectual property (IP), according to a recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Innovation Policy Center. The thirteenth edition of the International Intellectual Property Index ranks Morocco 22nd globally in IP strength out of 55 economies, with an overall score of 59.21%. The index uses a scoring system ranging from 0% to 100%, and Morocco stands at the top among African nations. It ranks ahead of Ghana (39.48%), Kenya (36.68%), South Africa (35.15%), Nigeria (34.28%), Egypt (31.96%), and Algeria (25.49%), which is at the bottom of the list of African countries in the index. In the Middle East and Africa category, Morocco also stands out, ranked second behind Israel (69.09%) and ahead of Saudi Arabia (53.70%), the UAE (48.26%), Jordan (42.17%), and Kuwait (29.19%). Although Morocco's score exceeds the average for the Africa and Middle East region (41.82%), it is still just over half of the average (91.06) for the top 10 economies. These top economies include the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Japan, Ireland, Spain, and South Korea. The index evaluates the performance of IP across 10 subindexes. It assesses areas such as patents, copyright, trademarks, trade secrets, commercialization of IP assets, enforcement, systemic efficiency, cutting-edge innovation, and membership/ratification of international treaties. Morocco excels in membership and ratification of international treaties with a score of 92.86%, and it scores 70.83% in both patents and commercialization of IP assets. However, the country scored 0 in cutting-edge innovation, indicating room for improvement in this area. Areas of strenght and weakness The report highlights that Morocco has made significant strides in enhancing its IP environment, particularly with its 2022 accession to the Singapore Treaty and the Geneva Act (part of the Hague Agreement), both of which strengthen its IP framework. The country is also recognized for having a well-developed national IP system, making it the highest-performing middle-income economy in the International IP Index. Among Morocco's strengths are its strong protections for patents and related rights, supported by agreements like the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and partnerships with the European Union. These efforts have driven improvements in the country's IP standards. Moreover, Morocco has implemented a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) agreement with Spain to streamline patent processing. The Moroccan IP Office (OMPIC) also plays a pivotal role by offering validation for all European Patent Office (EPO)-registered patents, ensuring better alignment with international standards. However, Morocco still faces challenges in strengthening its IP environment. A significant weakness is the lack of special incentives for the development of orphan medicinal products (drugs for rare diseases), which could hinder innovation in this vital sector. Additionally, the country struggles with a challenging enforcement environment, marked by high rates of physical counterfeiting and online piracy. The Business Software Alliance (BSA), a trade group representing the global software industry, estimates that the software piracy rate in Morocco stands at an alarming 64%. Moreover, there is uncertainty regarding the practical availability of patents for Computer-Implemented Inventions (CIIs), which remains a concern for developers and innovators in the country.
