Oracle has opened its second research and development hub in Morocco, choosing Agadir as the host city for a facility that deepens the American company’s commitment to cloud computing and artificial intelligence in the Kingdom. The inauguration took place on Monday, June 29, 2026, and drew senior officials from government and industry.
A high-level inauguration in the Souss capital
The ceremony was attended by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, Digital Transition Minister Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Investment Minister Karim Zidane, and Simon de Montfort Walker, Executive Vice President of Oracle. The choice of venue carried symbolic weight. The event marks the repositioning of Agadir as a national technology hub, shifting the conversation about Morocco’s digital economy well beyond the Casablanca-Rabat axis. Speaking at the inauguration, Prime Minister Akhannouch framed the project as a natural extension of Morocco’s national ambition. He noted that Oracle’s decision to open a new R&D center in Agadir confirms that Morocco is now recognized as a credible, competitive, and attractive platform for research, development, and advanced technologies. The event reflects a broader push by Moroccan authorities to draw high-value tech investment into regions historically overlooked by global players.
What the Agadir hub will do
The Agadir hub will focus on developing technologies across several strategic areas: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, AI-powered applications, data platforms, and sector-specific solutions. The facility offers 75 workstations and dedicated spaces for hosting conferences, making it a compact but purposeful site designed to activate local engineering talent and foster innovation outside the major urban centers. The hub is not a standalone outpost. It fits into a rapidly expanding ecosystem that already includes the Oracle Cloud region in Casablanca, a second cloud region planned for Settat, and the R&D hub in Casablanca already in operation. Together, these assets form a multi-city infrastructure that positions Morocco as Oracle’s primary development base on the African continent.
Alignment with Morocco’s AI and digital roadmap
Government officials placed the new hub firmly within the country’s national digital strategy. Digital Transition Minister Seghrouchni stated that the establishment of this new Oracle R&D center in Agadir reflects the growing attractiveness of Morocco’s regions for high-value tech investment, and that the project is fully aligned with the national “AI Made in Morocco” roadmap, contributing to innovation in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data platforms while relying on the excellence of Moroccan talent. She also underscored the hub’s role in reinforcing Morocco’s position as a digital connector between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Investment Minister Zidane echoed this view, insisting on the territorial significance of the moment: beyond Casablanca, cities across the Kingdom are steadily asserting themselves as innovation poles, reflecting Morocco’s commitment to balanced regional development.
Oracle’s expanding footprint in Morocco
Oracle has been present in Morocco since 2017 and continues to invest in local innovation in advanced fields such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and graph processing. The company’s Casablanca R&D center, located in CasaNearshore Park, is expected to eventually host over 800 engineers, developers, and technicians. Oracle has also made talent development a central pillar of its Moroccan strategy. The company actively invests in workforce development: in 2024, 92% of interns recommended for hire were offered jobs. The broader expansion plan, according to reporting by Infomediaire, reflects a deliberate effort to grow Morocco’s tech workforce beyond the capital. Around 40% of jobs created are earmarked for regions outside Greater Casablanca and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, with the aim of creating professional opportunities throughout the Kingdom. The Agadir hub is a direct product of that commitment.
Morocco consolidates its place on the global tech map
Oracle’s decision to plant a second R&D flag in Agadir sends a clear signal: Morocco’s appeal to global technology companies is no longer confined to its economic capital. With the Oracle Cloud Casablanca region now operational, a second cloud region planned for Settat, and R&D hubs in both Casablanca and Agadir, Oracle is helping build a cloud and AI ecosystem of unique scale in the Kingdom. The support of the Moroccan state through its digital strategy acts as an accelerator, creating a fiscal, regulatory, and institutional environment that allows players like Oracle to invest in long-term, high-value projects. For Agadir, a city long associated with tourism, fishing, and agriculture, the inauguration marks the beginning of a new chapter in its economic identity.
Based on reporting by Infomediaire (infomediaire.net)
