Tech companies Google and Accenture have ranked Morocco fifth out of sixteen African countries regarding the professional developer's population and its growth.
Morocco recorded a 6% growth in professional developers in 2021, moving from 47K in 2020 to 50K in the past year. The Moroccan developers’ community represents 7% of total African developers.
Witnessing the second-largest growth in 2021, Morocco stood 5th in the ranking below South Africa (121K), Egypt (89K), Nigeria (89K), and Kenya (60K), in respective order.
While the year 2021 has introduced serious difficulties for professionals in different sectors, it provided more opportunities to African developers.
The pool of African professional developers increased in 2021 by 3.8% to reach 716K developers, 85% of them are males.
The rising global tendency towards remote working, along with the interest of local businesses and startups in digital expansion and promotion, empowered the growth in the developers’ community and the improvement of salaries.
In Morocco, government support also contributed to the increase in developers in the country.
The Moroccan government launched the “Take IT Forward” project to train youth in digital and soft skills. The project also supports ICT-related placements in order to increase the employability of young graduates in the field.
Additionally, the government inaugurated Euromed School of Digital Engineering and Artificial intelligence, Africa’s first AI training school, to train Moroccan youth in advanced technologies such as cybersecurity, AI, and robotics.
Along with Morocco, Ghana and Rwanda initiated governmental efforts to provide youth with appropriate training in the development field.
Labeled as “Cultivating Countries” by Accenture and Google, the three countries have a “moderate-to-large developer population, mid-late-stage startup, and technology ecosystem, and moderately stable economic environment.”
As a cultivating country, Morocco leads the category ahead of Rwanda and Ghana as well as emerging and nascent countries that are “establishing the foundation for growth” and “tackling challenges to enable growth.”
Neighboring countries Algeria and Tunisia head the emerging category, ranking 9th and 11th with 23K and 29K developers.
In contrast, Morocco followed maintaining country South Africa and the advancing countries of Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya in the ranking.
South Africa remains to have the largest developer population cited with a “strong education and robust startup and technology ecosystem.” Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya have a “strong funding environment” and “strong startup ecosystem.”