Morocco, Huawei Sign Gaming Industry Deal at GITEX Africa 2026
Marrakech – Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication and Huawei Morocco signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday to develop the country’s gaming industry and digital sectors. The agreement was formalized on the sidelines of GITEX Africa 2026 in Marrakech.
Minister Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid and Huawei Morocco CEO David Li signed the MoU in the presence of Huawei Morocco Vice President Anis Liu. The deal aims to build a competitive gaming ecosystem and accelerate growth in the sector ahead of the Morocco Gaming Expo 2026, scheduled for May 20-24 in Rabat.
Under the agreement, Huawei will equip workshop spaces at the Morocco Gaming Expo with tools and resources for developers. The company will also support the training and mentoring of five Moroccan video game developers identified by the ministry. The goal is to prepare a new generation of talent capable of competing internationally in creative and tech industries.
The partnership also includes backing Moroccan teams’ participation in Huawei’s international technology development programs. It reflects a public-private cooperation model focused on training, skills transfer, and digital innovation.
“The gaming industry is now a strategic lever at the intersection of creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship,” Li said. “Through this partnership, we are taking a new step in building a competitive and innovative ecosystem.”
Speaking to Morocco World News (MWN), Liu indicated the company will provide hardware tools this year for young teams working on gaming and AI projects. “Huawei’s vision is to always support Morocco, especially its youth, in turning their projects into reality and to help create more wealth for the country,” he affirmed.
The partnership builds on last year’s results. Five Moroccan startups – Geek Culture Agency, AB Progress, Yaaz Company, KOKORO Games, and OCTAV Studio – were selected for a structured support program. They received access to Huawei Cloud, specialized training, and technical mentoring to help them grow and establish themselves in the video game market.
The MoU was signed during the fourth edition of GITEX Africa Morocco, which opened on Tuesday and runs through Thursday at Place Bab Jdid. The event is gathering 1,450 exhibitors and startups from over 145 countries, with organizers expecting over 55,000 attendees. It is organized by the Digital Development Agency and KAOUN International under Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform.
Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch set the tone for the event, noting that Morocco’s digital investment budget grew from MAD 11 million ($1.1 million) to over MAD 1.7 billion ($170 million) between 2021 and 2024. He also pointed to the country’s 14-place rise in the global government AI readiness index in 2025 and ongoing 5G deployment targeting 45% population coverage by the end of 2026.
Huawei has operated in Morocco since 2002, with offices in Rabat and Casablanca. The company says it has generated 8,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country. It runs several training programs, including the Digitech Talent initiative, the Huawei ICT Academy, and the Seeds for the Future program, all aimed at building local digital skills.
The gaming deal adds to a broader pattern of partnerships signed on the margins of GITEX Africa, where governments and tech companies across the continent are formalizing cooperation agreements. For Morocco, the MoU aligns with its push to position itself as a regional hub for digital industries and creative technologies.
The Morocco Gaming Expo in Rabat next month will serve as the first concrete test of the partnership’s deliverables.
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