Morocco registered 66,277 new businesses in the first eight months of 2026, according to figures from the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC) published on October 21. The total covers January to August and includes both companies and individual traders.
Key facts
- 66,277 new businesses registered from January to August 2026.
- 49,897 legal entities (75%) and 16,380 individual businesses (25%).
- 85,351 trade-name certificates issued over the same period.
- The count was 60,908 at the end of July, up from 51,800 at the end of June.
Which company types and sectors lead
Among new legal entities, the single-member limited liability company (SARL AU) is the most popular form at 65%, followed by the standard SARL at 33.8%. The single-member format is favoured by small founders because it allows one person to set up a company with limited liability.
By sector, trade accounts for 27.21% of new legal entities, construction and real estate for 25.25%, and various services for 20.04%. Transport represents 7.68% and industry 6.34%. Trade, construction and services together make up more than 72% of the total.
Where new businesses are being created
Casablanca-Settat remains the main hub with 39.3% of new legal entities, ahead of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (14.4%), Marrakech-Safi (12.3%) and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (10.8%). These four regions account for 76.8% of the total.
The picture is slightly different for individual businesses: Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima leads with 20.5%, followed by Casablanca-Settat at 13.3% and the Eastern region at 10.7%.
Why it matters for the economy
Steady company creation is one of the indicators watched by investors and entrepreneurs as Morocco builds new infrastructure and industrial capacity. Recent projects such as the Nador West Med container terminal and the Safran extension in Temara show the kind of activity that supports new suppliers and services. Tourism, which reached 15.7 million visitors by September, also feeds demand for small businesses in trade and services.
OMPIC publishes updated figures every month, so the total is expected to keep rising when September data is released.
Sources: Morocco World News; Morocco World News (January-July); maroc.ma
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