Morocco has witnessed a significant increase in new business registrations, with a total of 66,277 businesses registered by the end of August 2026. The Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC) reported that limited liability companies accounted for the largest share of new corporate registrations. This growth in business registrations indicates a positive trend for the country's economy. The OMPIC provides detailed indicators on business creation through its online barometer.
The breakdown of new business registrations reveals that legal entities represented 49,897 registrations, or 75% of the total, while individual businesses accounted for 16,380 registrations, representing the remaining 25%. Among legal entities, the single-member limited liability company (SARL AU) remained the preferred legal structure, accounting for 65% of registrations. Standard limited liability companies (SARL) followed with 33.8%. This data suggests that entrepreneurs are opting for limited liability companies.
Casablanca-Settat ranked first in new corporate business registrations, accounting for 39.3% of the national total. Rabat-Sale-Kenitra followed with 14.4%, ahead of Marrakech-Safi at 12.3% and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima at 10.8%. These four regions together accounted for 76.8% of all newly registered legal entities in Morocco during the January-August period. This regional distribution indicates that Casablanca-Settat is a hub for business activity.
The distribution of individual businesses differed from that of corporate registrations. Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima led this category with 20.5% of registrations, followed by Casablanca-Settat with 13.3% and the Eastern region with 10.7%. This variation in regional distribution highlights the diversity of business activities across Morocco. The OMPIC's data provides insights into business registration trends across different regions.
In terms of sectors, trade accounted for the largest share of newly registered legal entities, representing 27.21% of the total. Construction and real estate activities ranked second at 25.25%, followed by various services at 20.04%. Transport accounted for 7.68% of new corporate registrations, while industry represented 6.34%. These figures indicate that trade, construction, and services are driving business growth in Morocco.
The OMPIC also issued 85,351 trade names, known as negative certificates, between January and August 2026. Entrepreneurs use these certificates to reserve proposed business names before completing the relevant registration procedures. This service provided by the OMPIC facilitates the business registration process. The office's online barometer tracks new registrations across Morocco by legal structure, region, and sector.
The latest figures from the OMPIC cover the period from January to August 2026 and provide an overview of business registration trends across the country. The data highlights the growth in new business registrations and the preferred legal structures and sectors. Key points include:
Key points
- 66,277 new businesses were registered in Morocco by end of August 2026.
- Casablanca-Settat led corporate registrations with 39.3% of the national total.
- Trade accounted for the largest share of newly registered legal entities at 27.21%.
