Morocco’s electricity relief plan: will your family home qualify?

A holiday apartment can use little electricity because it stands empty for months. A home occupied by elderly relatives may also have a modest bill. Both could belong to someone living overseas. Treating these properties in the same way would overlook a distinction that matters to many Moroccan families.

The parliamentary finance committee’s account of its 30 October meeting confirms that Fouzi Lekjaa discussed support being prepared for households spending below 100 dirhams a month on electricity. The discussion forms part of the examination of the 2027 draft budget. It does not establish that individual households can already claim relief.

The property’s use is the central question

Reporting by Médias24 and Le Desk on the minister’s explanations says vacant, seasonal and second homes were excluded from the government’s calculations. This points towards support targeted at household needs, rather than every account showing a small bill.

It does not justify a blanket statement that Moroccans abroad are excluded. The material reviewed does not establish overseas residence, in itself, as a disqualifying condition.

A property used only for holidays appears to fit the announced exclusion. A home where relatives live permanently raises a different question. Its owner’s address abroad cannot, on the evidence currently available, settle eligibility either way.

Families need rules they can actually use

Several practical issues remain unresolved: how occupancy will be established, which billing period will count, and whether the account holder’s identity will affect the assessment. Published accounts also use differing language around the 100-dirham threshold, leaving the treatment of a bill for exactly that amount to be clarified.

These details become especially important when the owner, electricity customer and resident are different people. Clear procedures should explain both how decisions are made and how an incorrect classification can be challenged.

As of 1 November, MMNEWS has not identified implementing rules answering all these questions. Keeping bills and checking account information is sensible preparation, but it is not an official application procedure. The announcement is no reason to stop paying current bills.

For overseas owners and their families, the next useful development will be precise administrative guidance. It should allow an occupied family home to be assessed on its actual circumstances, without assuming either eligibility or exclusion from the owner’s place of residence.