Africa is about to enter the global clean energy race in a big way. Morocco has announced a landmark partnership with China’s GOTION HIGH-TECH, one of the world’s leading battery producers, to build Africa’s first battery gigafactory. With a $5.6 billion investment, the plant in Kenitra, northwest Morocco, will transform the country into a hub for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and renewable energy storage.
Image by Express TV
Production is expected to begin in late 2026, with an initial annual capacity of 20 gigawatt-hours (GWh)—enough to power hundreds of thousands of EVs. Over time, output could scale to 100 GWh, positioning Morocco among the world’s major battery suppliers.
Why This Matters for Morocco
This project is more than just an industrial investment:
- Jobs and Skills: Initial operations will create 2,300 jobs, growing to 10,000 as the project expands through five phases.
- Technology Transfer: Working with a global battery leader opens doors to advanced manufacturing know-how and clean energy technologies.
- Economic Growth: Morocco strengthens its auto industry, where Renault and Stellantis already operate, by adding a domestic supply of batteries.
- Geopolitical Leverage: Positioned between Africa and Europe, Morocco becomes a bridge in the global clean energy supply chain.
What It Means for Africa
While Morocco is leading this step, the implications extend far beyond its borders:
- A Blueprint for Green Industrialization: The gigafactory shows how Africa can attract strategic investments by leveraging its geography, trade agreements, and renewable potential.
- Job Creation Across Value Chains: Battery production requires mining, refining, and logistics—industries where other African nations rich in cobalt, manganese, and lithium can plug in.
- Boost for AfCFTA: With the African Continental Free Trade Area, battery components and technology could flow more easily across the continent, powering regional EV industries and renewable energy storage projects.
- Energy Access & Storage: Africa, with over 300 days of sunshine a year in many regions, can pair solar power with battery storage to strengthen grids and expand electricity access.
China’s Role in Africa’s Clean Energy Future
The gigafactory also reflects China’s growing economic footprint in Africa. Through GOTION HIGH-TECH, China is not only supplying capital but embedding itself in Africa’s energy transition. This deepens ties with both Africa and the European Union, where the gigafactory’s products will be exported.
For African nations, this underscores the importance of strategic partnerships—balancing foreign investment with local benefits such as job creation, industrial learning, and stronger regional industries.
Looking Ahead: A Continental Shift
By 2026, Morocco will not just be assembling vehicles—it will be powering them. The gigafactory positions the country as a continental and global leader in clean energy manufacturing.
For Africa, the message is clear: the green economy is not a distant future, it is being built now. Countries that invest in partnerships, skills, and value-added industries can transform natural resource wealth into long-term prosperity.
Morocco’s battery gigafactory may well become a blueprint for how Africa leapfrogs into the industries of tomorrow—clean, connected, and globally competitive.
