Rabat – Fouzi Lekjaa, one of Morocco’s most influential figures in public finance and football, has been appointed Minister of Economy and Finance and Public Efficiency in the country’s new government, announced on Friday.
The appointment marks a new stage in Lekjaa’s career, which has combined senior positions in the finance ministry with his leadership of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
Born in Berkane in 1970, Lekjaa studied agricultural engineering at the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine in Rabat, graduating in 1994. He later pursued administrative studies at Morocco’s National School of Administration before beginning a career in public finance.
He joined the Ministry of Economy and Finance in 1997 as a financial inspector. He subsequently held several positions within the ministry before becoming director of the state budget in 2011, a position he held until 2021.
In October 2021, King Mohammed VI appointed Lekjaa as minister delegate in charge of the budget under the government led by Aziz Akhannouch.
His new appointment puts him at the head of a key ministry responsible for the country’s public finances, including budget preparation, government spending, and the allocation of public resources.
From public finance to football
Alongside his government career, Lekjaa has built a strong presence in Moroccan football.
He became president of Renaissance Sportive de Berkane in 2009, helping the club rise from Morocco’s lower divisions and establish itself as a major force in domestic and African competitions.
In 2014, he was elected president of the FRMF, the body responsible for managing Moroccan football. Under his leadership, the national team reached the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African and Arab team to reach that stage of the competition.
Lekjaa also became a member of the FIFA Council in 2021 and later assumed the position of first vice president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2025.
He has also played a central role in preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
His experience across public administration and sports has raised his political profile, particularly as Morocco prepares major infrastructure projects ahead of the tournament.
Appointment amid political tensions
Lekjaa’s appointment comes after months of political speculation about his future role in government.
In July 2026, he joined the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), one of the country’s main political parties, and became a member of its political bureau. His move came ahead of the September parliamentary elections and fueled speculation about his possible ambitions for a more senior government position.
His political rise also prompted tensions within the governing coalition.
In August, a leaked audio recording attributed to Rachid Talbi Alami, president of Morocco’s House of Representatives and a senior figure in the National Rally of Independents (RNI), appeared to oppose the prospect of Lekjaa taking control of the Finance and Economy Ministry in a future government.
“If the RNI forms an alliance, and if it has the presidency of the government, he will not see this ministry,” the speaker reportedly said, apparently referring to the finance portfolio.
The remarks came amid growing competition between the RNI and PAM over political influence and prospective positions in the next government.
Lekjaa’s appointment to the very ministry that was referenced in the leaked recording adds a new twist to the controversy.
