Morocco’s GMT+1: Minister Acknowledges Limited Energy Savings in Winter
Rabat – A statement by Energy Minister Leila Benali has added another layer to the argument backing a campaign in support of abolishing GMT+1 or daylight saving time in Morocco.
Speaking earlier this week at the House of Representatives, Benali said that Morocco’s use of GMT+1 during winter does not significantly reduce energy consumption.
“We have not recorded a tangible reduction in overall demand,” she argued, announcing that the Ministry of Energy has decided to launch a new study to update data from a previous evaluation.
Beneali’s remarks come in the wake of a viral campaign under a petition that collected over 344,000 signatories in support of an appeal urging the government to abolish the GMT+1.
“The additional hour clearly affects students’ concentration and their ability to absorb information, which in turn impacts the quality of education,” the petition reads, arguing that these repeated changes notably harm family life and undermine the social stability of society as a whole.
Morocco returns to normal time or GMT only during Ramadan. Previously, GMT+ was adopted only during the summer.
However, a government council adopted Draft Decree 2.18.855 in 2018, adding 60 minutes to the standard time in Morocco year-round.
Yet many reports and studies have cast doubt on the policy. A study by the African Center for Strategic and Digital Studies (CAESD) in February cited several challenges that affect people due to GMT+1, including short sleep, dark morning commutes, and difficulty concentrating in schools.
Students and teenagers are most affected, the study found, citing factors like natural sleep schedules starting later.
Morocco’s energy sector
Benali also responded to questions on efforts to ensure the national market is under safe conditions through the end of the year to manage the unprecedented crisis.
Morocco is diversifying its import sources, she said, stressing that the country has been bringing energy resources from the US, South America, and several European countries.
The resources secured under contracts will cover electricity production needs until next June, while petroleum product reserves stand at 47 days of national consumption for diesel and over 49 days for gasoline.
Benali also reassured that despite disruptions affecting some ports, her ministry continues to monitor and reinforce supply conditions.
Morocco has also mobilized a budget of MAD 1.6 billion to support the energy prices as part of efforts to protect purchasing power, she said. The number includes MAD 600 million allocated to subsidize butane gas to maintain stable prices.
The government subsidizes a 12-kilogram gas cylinder by MAD 78 compared to MAD 30 before the Middle East war.
Benali also cited MAD 400 million to support the electricity sector, as well as subsidies for transport professionals amounting to MAD 3 per liter or approximately MAD 648 million monthly.
Earlier this month, Morocco’s Competition Council pledged its commitment to continue to monitor the impact of rising international crude oil and refined product prices.
The Council noted that international fluctuations “directly influence supply conditions and price formation at the national level.” In response, it assessed the “consistency and level of correlation” between international quotations and national selling prices during the first half of March 2026.
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