74% of Moroccan women aspire to start their own business

• Mastercard research reveals the growing wave of female entrepreneurship driving Morocco’s economic future

Casablanca, Morocco | 5 March 2025: Moroccan women are embracing entrepreneurship in growing numbers, driven by financial independence, career flexibility and the pursuit of their passions. With 74% expressing interest in starting a business, Moroccan women are driving a new wave of entrepreneurship and innovation in the country. 

New research from Mastercard, released ahead of International Women’s Day 2025, reveals a strong entrepreneurial appetite among Moroccan women and a promising business outlook, with 82% of women business owners expecting revenue growth over the next five years, signaling confidence in the future of female entrepreneurship in Morocco.

“The entrepreneurial spirit among women is strong and growing, with younger generations leading the way. With access to the right financial tools, mentorship, and digital resources, women entrepreneurs can unlock new business opportunities, drive innovation, and contribute significantly to economic development. At Mastercard, we are committed to navigating barriers and fostering an ecosystem where women-led businesses can thrive,” said Selin Bahadirli, executive vice president, Services, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Mastercard.

For many women, the motivation to start a business goes beyond financial success—it is about achieving better work-life balance (32%), pursuing lifelong dreams (27%) and gaining freedom and flexibility from traditional career structures (27%). However, access to funding, business mentorship and digital tools remains crucial in ensuring their ambitions translate into thriving, scalable businesses. 

The ambition of Moroccan women is clear—yet only 27% of women currently identify as entrepreneurs. While many are eager to take the leap, 64% have yet to turn their aspirations into reality, a figure that rises to 74% among millennial women. The data points to an opportunity to unlock greater participation of women in Morocco’s business ecosystem, while underscoring the need for targeted support, financial access, and skill development to help them transition from ambition to action.

Entrepreneurial aspirations across generations

·       Gen Z women (36%) are the most likely to identify as entrepreneurs, followed by Baby Boomers (30% for men and women) and millennials (28% for men and women).

·       Half (50%) of Gen Z women already have a side hustle, compared to 43% of women overall.

·       The top motivations for women to start a side hustle are:

o   Earning more money (52%)

o   Gaining financial independence (40%)

o   Saving for a specific goal (30%)

Top sectors for Moroccan women entrepreneurs

Women in Morocco are most likely to start businesses in digital and service-oriented industries, with the most popular sectors being:

·       Online selling (23%)

·       Education, including tutoring (14%)

·       Cosmetics (14%)

·       Food and drink (14%)

Unlocking more opportunities for women entrepreneurs

Moroccan women entrepreneurs are driven, ambitious, and resilient, yet access to funding, business skills, and professional networks remain critical enablers for their long-term success. Women in Morocco are three times more likely than men to say they lack knowledge on how to set up a business (14% vs. 4%). Other top barriers for women include lack of experience (32%), lack of funding (32%) and lack of financial resources (29%).

Mohamed Benomar, Country Manager, North West Africa at Mastercard shared, “This research highlights the ambition and resilience of Moroccan women entrepreneurs. They are integral to the country’s economy, shaping the future of business, bringing creativity, resilience and innovation. While their ambition is clear, more investment in financial inclusion, business skills and digital tools can propel them even further. Mastercard is working closely with partners in Morocco to provide tailored financial solutions and digital infrastructure that help women-led businesses grow, scale, and thrive.

Confidence has been highlighted as a key issue, with 15% of women—more than double the proportion of men (7%)—feeling they lack the confidence to start a business. Millennial women (21%) are the least confident about starting a business, compared to just 6% of millennial men.

This lack of confidence may stem from a variety of concerns among women business owners, including lacking the capital to launch (41%) and the risk of failure (27%). Additionally, four in 10 (41%) of women entrepreneurs struggled with building a sustainable business due to lack of knowledge, compared to just one in ten (11%) of men. 

The biggest challenge both men and women entrepreneurs faced when starting their business was finding the funding (50% for women vs. 61% for men). Along with this, women also cited access to digital infrastructure (23%) and lack of peer network (23%) as challenges faced when starting their own business.

Support needed

To overcome these barriers, Moroccan women identified key support areas that would increase their confidence and ability to launch and scale successful businesses, including:

·       More available funding options (38%) to reduce financial barriers

·       Better training in business skills (34%) to build expertise

·       More support for women’s ideas in the workplace (32%) to foster confidence and innovation

·       Better training in technology (25%) to improve digital business skills

Women business owners also place higher importance on expert financial guidance, with 41% seeing payment management support as crucial for business growth, compared to just 18% of men.

Leveraging technology for business success

Moroccan women entrepreneurs are actively integrating AI into their businesses, with 65% regularly using AI tools and 64% reporting significant time and cost savings. Seven in 10 (70%) consult AI when they’re unsure about the best course of action for their business. 

However, cybersecurity concerns remain a concern, with:

·       38% of business leaders (men and women) having been targeted by fraudsters.

·       Women (59%) worrying more frequently about cyberattacks than men (50%).

·       64% of women unsure how to protect their business from cyber threats, compared to 46% of men.

Mastercard has a long-standing commitment to enabling women entrepreneurs through financial inclusion, digital solutions, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Since 2020, Mastercard has provided over 50 million small businesses including 37 million women entrepreneurs with support and solutions that can help them grow their businesses. 

In Morocco, Mastercard’s partnerships, such as with the Agence de Développement du Digital-ADD, are supporting SMEs with tailored financial tools, enhancing digital payments infrastructure and strengthening cybersecurity for businesses to scale and thrive.

For more information about Mastercard initiatives to support small businesses see Small & Medium Business Solutions | Mastercard Payment Solutions