(Ecofin Agency) - As telcos reinvent themselves as tech enablers for businesses, partnerships like this drive financial inclusion, accelerate digital economies, support sustainable urban development, and attract foreign investment by showcasing the region’s tech readiness.

Vodafone Business and Maroc Telecom, part of the Emirates Telecommunications Group (e& &), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly deliver advanced connectivity and digital services to enterprise customers in Morocco.

Fanan Henriques, Product & International Business Director at Vodafone Business, said, “Maroc Telecom's local expertise and digital skills combined with Vodafone’s scalable, secure platforms will underpin new fintech, healthcare, and industrial applications driven by a young workforce and startup culture.”

The collaboration will initially focus on smart city and energy management solutions, tapping into Vodafone’s global platforms and Maroc Telecom’s local expertise. It also expands Vodafone’s enterprise footprint in Africa, building on its existing operations across eight countries through Vodacom.

Future phases of the partnership will introduce a broad suite of enterprise solutions, including Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN), Mobile Private Networks, cloud services, and cybersecurity. These offerings will be customizable to meet Morocco’s specific regulatory and market needs, enhancing digital capabilities for businesses of all sizes.

The agreement will also support regional and multinational clients in logistics, manufacturing, retail, and public sectors by offering a unified portfolio of scalable managed services across multiple markets, backed by comprehensive support in billing, implementation, and management.

Enterprise products are advanced technology tools and services designed specifically for businesses and organizations (not for individual consumers). These help companies run smoothly, stay connected, and serve their customers better. When businesses have access to strong digital tools, they can serve customers more efficiently, expand internationally, secure their data, and drive job creation and economic growth.

With traditional services like voice and SMS offering limited growth and global mobile revenue slowing to low single digits, telcos are turning to enterprise digital services as a major revenue stream, leveraging their existing infrastructure and 5G capabilities to meet rising business demand for cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analytics, and smart connectivity solutions across industries.

According to market research and consulting company Grand View Research, the global enterprise telecom services market, valued at USD 724.52 billion in 2022, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% through 2030, driven by rising investment in 5G infrastructure and a shift in business demand toward next-gen communication technologies. Partnerships like that between Vodafone Business and Maroc Telecom tap into this momentum, as companies seek high-speed connectivity, scalable cloud and cybersecurity services, and value-added managed solutions to support smart city initiatives and power Morocco’s ambition to become a regional digital hub.

Hikmatu Bilali