Overcoming Structural Barricades: The role of Women Entrepreneurs in Morocco's Digital Economy

Surmonter les Obstacles Structurels: Le rôle des Femmes Entrepreneures dans l'Economie Numérique Marocaine

Saida Abellaoui () and Youssef Nait Belaid ()
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Saida Abellaoui: University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
Youssef Nait Belaid: University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco

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Abstract: In Morocco, women entrepreneurs are increasingly leveraging digital platforms to drive economic empowerment particularly for young women seeking independence, yet they face several significant barriers in Morocco's digital economy. In this paper we seek to give insights from recent studies, highlighting the motivations such as achieving work-life balance, pursuing personal dreams, and gaining economic independence, opportunities, and challenges for female digital entrepreneurs in Morocco. Digital transformation, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), has opened several paths for women to engage in E-commerce, fintech, service-oriented businesses and other activities, with platforms like social media enabling low-cost market access and sometimes free access to some platforms. However, cultural, technological, and financial barriers persist. A barrier that seems critical is the lack of advanced digital literacy, particularly in rural areas, where limited internet access and insufficient training in technical concepts hinder effective utilization of digital tools. Several foundational studies reveal that women entrepreneurs often rely on basic platforms like phone calls and emails due to inadequate software tutorials and technical language barriers. This digital divide, compounded by socio-cultural norms and limited access to finance, restricts scalability and sustainability. Addressing these challenges requires targeted policy interventions including tailored ICT training or advanced digital literacy, improved digital infrastructure, and financial inclusion initiatives to empower Moroccan women entrepreneurs in the digital economy. For the methodological approach adopted in the elaboration of this paper, this research is first and foremost a Theoretical Research, so a qualitative documentary study is conducted to explore the alignment of several concepts related to the subject, and to dive deep into Morocco's digital Economy and entrepreneurship, synthesizing national reports (GEM, Digital Morocco 2030), policy papers, strategic plans, program reports, evaluation studies ,existing academic literature and other pertinent materials pertaining to Morocco's digital Economy and women entrepreneurs in Morocco. The analysis follows a multi-level framework to highlight the interplay between individual motivations and structural barriers.

Keywords: Digital Economy; Digital Literacy; Women Entrepreneurs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-02-22
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05523923v1
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Published in International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics, 2026, 7 (3), ⟨10.5281/zenodo.18653125⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05523923

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18653125

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