Mrirt – Maroc Telecom (IAM) and Inwi (Wana Corporate) announced today a landmark collaboration to accelerate fiber optic and 5G networks across Morocco, marking a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation strategy.
The agreement, approved by both companies’ boards, establishes two innovative joint ventures that will mutually share telecommunications infrastructure.
The first joint venture, dubbed FiberCo, focuses on expanding fiber optic network coverage, with “ambitious targets of reaching 1 million connections within two years and 3 million connections over five years,” according to a press release.
The second joint venture, TowerCo, will concentrate on 5G network expansion. The partnership plans to “invest in constructing new telecommunications towers and renovating existing infrastructure, targeting 2,000 towers within three years and 6,000 towers over the next decade.”
The initial investment for the first three-year phase is estimated at MAD 4.4 billion ($0.44 billion). Notably, these passive infrastructures will be open to any licensed operator, ensuring compliance with current regulations.
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Perhaps most remarkably, the partnership represents a significant reconciliation between the two telecommunications giants. The companies are resolving a past legal dispute in which Maroc Telecom was previously ordered to pay MAD 6.38 billion ($0.63 billion) to Inwi.
As part of their new collaborative approach, they will withdraw ongoing legal proceedings and reduce the compensation amount to MAD 4.38 billion ($0.43 billion).
“This unprecedented agreement fully embraces the North African country’s digital transformation dynamics and responds to national high-speed connectivity ambitions,” the companies stated in a joint press release.
Not only is this strategic partnership expected to guarantee advanced connectivity for Moroccan citizens and businesses, but also position Morocco as a model for effective telecommunication infrastructure across Africa and globally.
The final implementation remains subject to approval from the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT), signaling the careful regulatory oversight of this transformative collaboration.
