Morocco now ranks 54th out of 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2026, three places higher than last year. The ranking, relayed by the Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office (OMPIC), extends a trend that began in 2021, over which the Kingdom has gained 23 places. Applying that gain to the current rank, I infer that the country stood around 77th five years ago and in 57th place in the 2025 edition. The Global Innovation Index 2026 therefore confirms a momentum, but it deserves to be read with some nuance.
What the 2026 ranking says
The headline figure is clear: 54th out of 139. OMPIC also specifies that Morocco ranks fourth among lower-middle-income economies. This second indicator matters as much as the first, because it compares the country with its peers, meaning economies at a similar level of development, rather than with established technology powers.
That distinction changes the reading. Ranking fourth in its income group indicates that Morocco sits at the front of its category, without rivaling the most advanced economies. I also note the consistency: a three-place gain this year adds to steady progress, which rules out the hypothesis of a mere statistical rebound.
Here are the detailed results reported by OMPIC:
- Intangible assets: 11th worldwide, up six places from the previous edition
- Industrial designs: 5th worldwide for applications by origin relative to GDP, one place gained on 2025
- Trademarks: 16th worldwide for trademark applications by origin, also relative to GDP, six places gained
- Patents: 58th worldwide for applications by origin relative to GDP, four places gained
An index that measures innovation broadly
To grasp the significance of these figures, it helps to recall what the index measures. Published every year since 2007, it has become an international reference for comparing economies’ innovation performance. It is not limited to counting start-ups or patents. It seeks to assess both a country’s innovation capabilities and the results they produce.
The 2026 edition relies on 80 indicators. They cover institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, business development, and knowledge, technology and creative outputs. In other words, a country can move up thanks to a better institutional framework, better infrastructure or more intellectual property filings. This is precisely what makes the ranking subtler to read than it appears.
A word on method: these data come from OMPIC’s communication. I did not have access to the full report, so I refrain from commenting on sub-rankings or comparisons with other countries that the sources do not mention.
Intangible assets, Morocco’s strong suit
This is the category where the Kingdom posts its best performance: 11th in the world. Intangible assets include trademarks, industrial designs and other forms of immaterial value. They reflect companies’ ability to protect and leverage what they create, beyond simply producing goods.
Two indicators drive this result. The first is industrial design, where Morocco ranks fifth in the world for applications by origin relative to GDP. The second is trademarks, with a 16th place on the same criterion. In both cases, the GDP ratio plays a decisive role: it measures the intensity of filings relative to the size of the economy, not their absolute volume. This mechanically favors economies where companies file a lot relative to the wealth they produce.
In my view, this point calls for a cautious reading. A ranking proportional to GDP rewards the vitality of intellectual property filings, which is a positive signal about the culture of protecting creations. It does not, on its own, tell us whether those filings translate into competitive products or high value-added exports. It is a nuance analysts often make, and one I share.
A gap between the overall rank and intellectual property indicators
The contrast is at the heart of this edition. Morocco is 54th overall, but 11th in intangible assets and 5th in industrial design. Patents, at 58th, sit roughly at the level of the overall rank, or even slightly below it.
This gap can be interpreted in several ways, and I have no evidence to settle the question. It may signal that the country’s strengths are concentrated in certain segments, while other pillars of the index, such as research or infrastructure, weigh more heavily on the average. It may also reflect the structure of the economy, where trademark and design filing is more developed than fundamental research, of which patents are an imperfect reflection. These are interpretive hypotheses, not findings established by the index.
What I can state, however, is that the four-place improvement in patents is a step in the right direction. Momentum is therefore present across all three families of intellectual property indicators cited by OMPIC.
Why this ranking matters for the Moroccan economy
The context gives this result a significance beyond a simple league table. Morocco is seeking to develop higher value-added economic activities, strengthen its research and innovation capacity, and increase the role of technology and intellectual property in its development. An international ranking offers a benchmark for measuring whether this ambition is materializing.
Strategically, intellectual property is a concrete lever. It allows companies to protect their innovations, secure their investments and attract partners. An environment where trademark and design filings are dynamic also sends investors a signal about the maturity of the legal and entrepreneurial framework.
We should nonetheless remain measured. A ranking is not an assessment of public policy. It aggregates available data, with their methodological limits, and compares very different economies. Morocco’s progress is real, but on its own it says nothing about the depth of applied research, the financing of innovation, or the ability to turn ideas into industries.
The challenges that remain
If we take the ranking for what it is, a useful but partial measuring tool, three questions seem to me to arise for the future.
The first concerns consolidation. After five years of gains, the challenge is to sustain the momentum, as places become harder to win the higher one climbs. Gaining ranks from an intermediate level is often easier than gaining them in the top half of the table.
The second concerns the balance between indicators. The 58th place in patents, lower than the overall rank, suggests that room for progress also lies in technological innovation and research. The other pillars of the index, such as human capital or infrastructure, depend on long-term investments whose effects are measured over several years.
The third is economic transformation. Strong results in trademarks and design must, to bear fruit, be accompanied by value chains able to exploit them. That is where, in my opinion, the credibility of Morocco’s trajectory will be decided in the coming editions.
Conclusion, progress to be confirmed over time
The Global Innovation Index 2026 gives Morocco a measured reason for satisfaction: 54th rank, fourth place among economies in its income bracket, 23 places gained in five years and remarkable performances in intellectual property. Above all, I note the consistency of the progress, which is more significant than an isolated jump.
One open question remains, which the next editions will help answer: will the Kingdom manage to bring its overall ranking closer to its best indicators, by lifting research, patents and infrastructure in turn? The answer will depend less on the ranking itself than on the country’s ability to convert its strengths into high value-added economic activity.
FAQ
What is Morocco’s rank in the Global Innovation Index 2026?
Morocco ranks 54th out of 139 economies, up three places from the previous edition, according to OMPIC.
How many places has Morocco gained since 2021?
The Kingdom has gained 23 places in five years, reflecting steady progress in the ranking.
In which areas does Morocco achieve its best results?
It ranks 11th worldwide for intangible assets and 5th for industrial design applications relative to GDP. It is 16th for trademarks and 58th for patents, on the same criterion.
What does the Global Innovation Index measure?
Published every year since 2007, it assesses economies’ innovation capabilities and results, based on 80 indicators in 2026.
