Morocco social aid payments will rise by 20 per cent from 1 January 2027, after the government approved a draft decree lifting the minimum monthly allowance from 500 to 600 dirhams ().
The increase, agreed at the weekly Government Council on Thursday 12 November, is the first step towards a minimum of 1,000 dirhams by 2031. It matters because the direct aid scheme now reaches more than 4mn households and has become the centre of the state’s effort to protect living standards. The office of the head of government chairs the council.
What changes for Morocco social aid in 2027?
The draft decree amends the rules that apply law 58.23 on direct social assistance. It raises the floor of the flat-rate allowance to 600 dirhams a month from the start of 2027, said Samir Belfkih, the government spokesman, after the meeting. Further increases will follow in later years until the minimum reaches 1,000 dirhams, about , in 2031, according to a statement read at his press conference and reported by TelQuel.
Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, the head of government, told ministers that protecting citizens’ purchasing power “remains the government’s first priority”, Agence Ecofin reported. Her remarks were made in French. Ms El Mansouri became Morocco’s first female head of government in September.
The dollar figures use the rate of about 9.9 dirhams applied by Agence Ecofin.
How many people receive Morocco social aid?
The Morocco social aid scheme was launched in December 2023 as part of a wider plan to extend social protection. By the end of September 2026 it covered more than 4mn households, including 5.77mn children, TelQuel said, citing budget data. Payments in the first eight months of 2026 came to 18.4bn dirhams (.9bn).
The national social support agency put the number of beneficiary households at nearly 3.9mn at the end of 2025, among them almost 1.7mn elderly people, according to Agence Ecofin.
Eligibility depends on registration in the national population register and the unified social register, and on a household’s score on a socio-economic index. The government did not say how much the higher Morocco social aid floor would cost in 2027.
Why is the government acting on living costs now?
Consumer prices rose 0.5 per cent in the year to September, according to the High Commission for Planning figures cited by Agence Ecofin. Food prices fell 2.5 per cent, but non-food prices rose 2.8 per cent and transport costs 9.4 per cent.
The statistics agency put multidimensional poverty at 6.8 per cent in 2024, with a wide gap between rural areas, at 13.1 per cent, and cities, at 3 per cent.
At the same meeting the government set up an inter-ministerial committee to monitor prices and said exceptional support for road hauliers would continue. It also suspended new export permits for tomatoes, onions and potatoes for a time to protect domestic supply, Agence Ecofin reported.
The measures come as parliament debates the 2027 budget. Economists have urged African governments to turn external support into lasting growth, as one told DNE Africa in a recent interview.
What happens next?
The Morocco social aid text approved on Thursday is a draft decree. It takes effect once it is published in the official bulletin, which had not been reported by Friday. The timetable for the later increases has not been published.
FAQ
How much is the new Morocco social aid minimum?
The minimum flat-rate allowance rises from 500 to 600 dirhams a month, about , from 1 January 2027.
Will Morocco social aid rise again after 2027?
Yes. The government said further increases would bring the minimum to 1,000 dirhams by 2031, but it has not published the yearly steps.
Who qualifies for the payments?
Vulnerable households registered in the national population register and the unified social register whose socio-economic score falls under the eligibility threshold.
Is the increase final?
The Government Council has approved a draft decree. It must be published in the official bulletin to take effect.
