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Tantan – Morocco’s government says its direct social support program, implemented through the National Agency for Social Support (ANSS), has reached more than 3.9 million families and distributed over MAD 59 billion since its launch in December 2023.
Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, revealed the figure in a written response to a question by MP Nabil Dakhch, member of the Haraki parliamentary group in the House of Representatives. He submitted a written question about the effectiveness of the “direct social support” program and whether it has succeeded in improving the social conditions of Moroccan families.
In his answer dated May 19, Lekjaa said the system was designed to support poor and vulnerable groups, improve living conditions, and strengthen protection against risks linked to childhood, school dropout, old age, and disability.
The program targets around 60% of the population that is not already covered by family compensation systems, he said. Depending on each family’s situation, beneficiaries can receive several forms of direct support.
These include financial aid for families with children under the age of 21, including children under guardianship. The program also includes fixed monthly aid for families without children or whose children are older than 21, especially households with elderly people living in vulnerable conditions, according to the answer.
The government also provides support for orphaned and abandoned children living in social care institutions.
Billions distributed
Lekjaa said that by April 2026, the number of beneficiary families had surpassed 3.9 million, with total monthly payments reaching MAD 2.17 billion during that month alone.
He added that total aid distributed since the system officially started in December 2023 exceeded MAD 59 billion.
The minister argued that the program has already played an important role in improving the social conditions of vulnerable families by increasing their purchasing power through monthly cash transfers ranging between MAD 500 and MAD 1,425 per household.
Additional benefits include birth grants and back-to-school support.
The response also stressed that the system currently covers around 43% of Moroccan households. For Lekjaa, this shows the broad scope of the project, especially compared to national poverty and vulnerability rates Morocco’s High Commission for Planning (HCP) recorded in 2022, estimated at 3.9% and 12.9% respectively.
At the same time, the ministry acknowledged that evaluating the full social and economic impact of the program still requires more time.
Lekjaa explained that several support mechanisms linked to the program are still being rolled out in different regions across the country, particularly programs focused on social assistance and economic integration.
Local support model
A major part of the government’s response focused on the role of the National Agency for Social Support, which is overseeing the implementation of the system. Lekjaa said the agency is working to follow royal directives calling for a “tangible and sustainable social impact” on beneficiaries.
To achieve this, the agency is adopting what the response described as a “proximity policy,” aimed at transforming the system from a simple financial aid mechanism into a broader tool for integrated local development.
The plan includes the creation of territorial offices staffed by social workers tasked with closely monitoring beneficiary families and helping them move out of poverty in a sustainable way.
These local representatives will work with families on issues including children’s education, regular health monitoring for mothers and children, and social commitments adapted to the needs of each region and household.
The government also plans to use these territorial offices to help families access economic integration programs by improving skills, reducing barriers to employment, and encouraging participation in training and integration pathways.
Lekjaa noted that the first territorial office has already been launched in El Jadida as a pilot experience before a wider rollout.
The ministry said the agency is also developing a system to measure the effectiveness and long-term impact of direct social support on beneficiaries and development indicators.
Still, the response concluded that any objective and comprehensive assessment of the program’s effectiveness must take into account the fact that many related support and economic integration programs are still in the implementation phase, and that more time is needed before the full results of the system become visible.
