Morocco Launches $19.4 Million Digital Transformation of Civil Registry
This massive undertaking aims to modernize public administration and simplify citizens' access to essential administrative documents.
The project was announced through an international tender by the General Directorate of Territorial Communities (DGCT). It is expected to digitize more than 38 million records dating back to 1915, when the civil registry system was first established in Morocco.
These records are currently distributed across 1,821 civil registry offices throughout the country's ten regions.
'This project aims to establish a centralized and secure database, connecting all civil registry offices to a unified and efficient information system. This will enable real-time data exchange with other public institutions, helping to accelerate procedures, improve service quality, and strengthen the digital transformation of Moroccan administration,' explained the Ministry.
The digitization process will unfold in two distinct phases. The first phase targets 27 million paper records that have never been digitized, involving numbering, meticulous manual data entry, and thorough verification.
The second phase will focus on over 11 million existing digital records, which will undergo auditing, indexing, and advanced security enhancements.
Priority will be given to birth records from after 1950 and death records from after 2003, due to their daily administrative importance and high demand from citizens.
The tender is structured into five geographic lots, with a submission deadline of May 29. The first lot covers the Fès-Meknès region with a budget of MAD 36.7 million ($3.67 million), while the second targets Marrakech-Safi with MAD 38.6 million ($3.86 million).
The third lot encompasses southern regions including Souss-Massa, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, Guelmim-Oued Noun, and Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, allocated MAD 34 million ($3.4 million).
The fourth lot, budgeted at MAD 39.5 million ($3.95 million), covers Béni Mellal-Khénifra and Drâa-Tafilalet. The fifth and largest lot, with MAD 45.5 million ($4.55 million), is designated for Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma and the Oriental region.
This initiative builds on earlier efforts to modernize civil registry services. In 2023, the government adopted decree n°2.22.04 implementing law n°36.21 on civil registry, which introduced electronic pre-declarations for births, deaths, marriages, and divorces.
The civil registry digitization is part of Morocco's broader digital transformation strategy. Recent initiatives include the digitization of children's health records, announced in February by the National Observatory for Children's Rights (ONDE).
Last month, the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC) expanded its electronic business creation platform nationwide. The move is designed to simplify administrative procedures and encourage entrepreneurship as part of the country's goal to launch 3,000 startups by 2030.
This adds to a partnership between the Ministry of Digital Transition and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, signed this month to accelerate commercial digitization.
Public response to these digital initiatives has been positive. A September 2024 survey by L'Économiste and the Sunergia Group found that 67% of Moroccans believe administrative procedures have been simplified through digitization, up from 58% in 2023.
The survey showed that 69% of Moroccans now handle their own administrative tasks, with young people aged 18-24 being the most enthusiastic about digital services.
This civil registry project represents a significant step in implementing royal directives on administrative digitization and is considered a key pillar of the government's program to develop the country's digital infrastructure and strengthen citizen trust in public services.
Read also: Morocco Accelerates Health Sector Digitalization with Strategic Partnerships at GITEX Africa 2025 Tags: Digitizationdigitization in morocco
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