Morocco has lowered taxes on imported mobile phones from 17.5% to 2.5% as part of the 2026 Finance Law,a move the government says will help stabilize the market,reduce smuggling and support businesses that operate legally.
The new rate applies to all mobile phones,whether fully assembled or imported in pieces to be put together locally. It also covers other wireless communication devices.
Officials say the previous tax rate,introduced in 2024,made legally imported phones too expensive.
This pushed many buyers toward cheaper devices brought into the country without paying taxes,which hurt authorized importers and retailers.
By reducing the tax,the government aims to shift more sales back into the formal economy and strengthen consumer confidence.
This measure is also intended to encourage the growth of local phone assembly,which the government hopes will boost industrial activity and create jobs.
The General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM),the country’s main business association,had strongly urged the government to reverse the 2024 tax hike.
The group argued that the higher rate failed to protect local production and instead harmed companies that follow the rules.
Business owners say the return to a lower tax rate will help clean up the market and increase tax revenue over time by drawing more activity into the formal sector.
Although consumers are expecting lower prices,retailers say the change will not be immediate because current stock was imported under the old tax rate.
Prices should start falling once new shipments arrive,and some reductions could reach several hundred dirhams depending on the model.
United News - unews.co.za