Globally, Morocco stands at 22nd place in terms of intellectual property strength, outperforming other African countries with a score of 59.21 in the 2025 International Intellectual Property Index. Even though substantial advancements have been made in enhancing patent protection and ratifying treaties, several hurdles still persist regarding enforcement, fostering innovation, and the creation of orphan medicinal drugs.

According to a recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Innovation Policy Center, Morocco is at the forefront of African countries in terms of intellectual property (IP). This finding comes from the thirteenth edition of the report. International Intellectual Property Index Morocco ranks 22nd worldwide in intellectual property strength among 55 economies, achieving an overall score of 59.21%.

The ranking employs a percentage scale from 0% to 100%. In this classification, Morocco leads all African nations. The country outperforms Ghana (39.48%), Kenya (36.68%), South Africa (35.15%), Nigeria (34.28%), Egypt (31.96%), and Algeria (25.49%)—which holds the last position amongst African states within the index.

Within the Middle East and Africa section, Morocco is notably placed at number two after Israel (69.09%) and before Saudi Arabia (53.70%), United Arab Emirates (48.26%), Jordan (42.17%), and Kuwait (29.19%).

Even though Morocco’s score surpasses the average for the Africa and Middle East region (41.82%), it remains slightly more than halfway below the average (91.06) of the top 10 economies. The leading economies consist of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Japan, Ireland, Spain, and South Korea.

The index measures the effectiveness of intellectual property rights through 10 different categories. These categories cover aspects like patent protection, copyright laws, trademark regulations, safeguarding trade secrets, utilizing IP assets commercially, enforcing these rights, evaluating how efficiently systems operate, promoting advanced innovations, and participating in relevant international agreements.

Morocco performs exceptionally well in joining and approving international agreements, achieving an impressive 92.86%. It also demonstrates strong performance in patent filings and the commercialization of intellectual property assets, scoring 70.83% in these areas. Nevertheless, the nation received a zero in advanced innovation, suggesting there’s significant potential for enhancement in this domain.

Strengths and Weaknesses Areas

The report indicates that Morocco has made notable progress in improving its intellectual property (IP) landscape, notably through its entry into the Singapore Treaty and the Geneva Act in 2022. These additions bolster its IP structure. Additionally, the nation is acknowledged for possessing an advanced domestic IP system, positioning it as the top performer among middle-income economies in the International IP Index.

One of Morocco's key advantages lies in its robust safeguards for patents and associated rights, bolstered by accords such as the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and collaborations with the European Union. These initiatives have catalyzed enhancements in the nation's intellectual property (IP) standards. Additionally, Morocco has established a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) accord with Spain aimed at expediting the patent application process. Furthermore, the Moroccan Intellectual Property Office (OMPIC) significantly contributes to this framework by providing validation services for all patents registered through the European Patent Office (EPO), thereby fostering greater conformity with global norms.

Nonetheless, Morocco continues to encounter difficulties in enhancing its intellectual property framework. One notable deficiency is the absence of specific incentives aimed at fostering the creation of drugs for rare diseases, potentially impeding progress in this crucial area. Furthermore, the nation grapples with a difficult regulatory landscape characterized by elevated levels of tangible counterfeit goods and digital piracy activities. According to the Business Software Alliance (BSA), a coalition advocating on behalf of the international software business community, the rate of software piracy in Morocco is strikingly high at 64%.

Additionally, there is ambiguity about the actual accessibility of patents for Computer-Implemented Inventions (CIIs), posing an ongoing worry for creators and inventors within the nation.