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Rabat – Morocco ranked 62nd out of 100 countries in the 2019 Inclusive Internet Index, and came 3rd out of 31 African countries, according to the Facebook-commissioned survey prepared by the Economist’s Intelligence Unit.
The survey scores 100 countries on availability, affordability, relevance, and readiness.
Morocco ranked best, 47th globally, in availability. Morocco’s overall ranking, according to the survey was “buttressed by first-place availability in [Africa].”
The availability category covers “the quality and breadth of available infrastructure required for access and levels of Internet usage,” said the report.
According to the report, solid infrastructure is the “key driver of the Availability category.”
Despite Morocco’s strong availability score, the report mentions Morocco’s low rating for “service quality” of internet.
While the Moroccan government is pledging digital reforms, the North African country only has three internet operators. The French-owned service Maroc Telecom, however, dominates the market because most public and private companies use their internet services.
Morocco’s other two internet operators are Inwi and Orange, previously Meditel. The companies also provide internet service, but mostly wireless services and mobile phone data.
According to the report, relevance, which examines the “existence and extent of local language content and relevant content,” is weak in Morocco. Morocco ranked 72nd globally out of 100 countries due to a “dearth of relevant content.”
Affordability ranking in Morocco is also low as the study lists Morocco 66th out of 100.
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The category of affordability examines the “cost of access relative to income and the level of competition in the internet marketplace.”
In readiness, Morocco was ranked 65th. This category examines “the capacity to access the Internet, including skills, cultural acceptance, and supporting policy.”
The National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) issued its last report on internet usage in Morocco in 2017.
ANRT found that there were 22.56 million internet subscribers in Morocco in the third quarter of 2017.
A report by Oxford Business Group urged Morocco’s telecommunications operators to “focus on developing comprehensive data-based strategies in order to accelerate growth over the near term.”
Oxford further explained that despite “slower growth,” Morocco’s telecommunication industry is a key component for the country’s economy.
