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Among Morocco’s most widely used information and communication technologies (ICT), the smartphone now reaches 100% of households in urban areas and is nearing saturation in rural regions, according to new data from the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) in its latest survey on ICT equipment and digital usage.
Based on findings collected between January and February 2025, the ANRT notes that smartphone ownership continues to rise nationwide, with stronger growth in rural areas: +4% at the national level, +2.5% in urban areas, and +6% in rural areas. This trend comes as digital adoption has been steadily expanding over the past five years.
According to the agency, four indicators particularly illustrate this digital shift: more than 1.8 million additional households are now equipped with a computer or tablet, over 1.5 million new households have internet access, 6.7 million more individuals use smartphones, and 7.1 million more people are connected to the internet.
Source: ANRT
The rise of smartphones does not weaken landline usage
This increase has not diminished the presence of landline phones. The ANRT reports a 36.5% rise in landline penetration, with much faster growth in rural areas (+115%) than in urban ones (+30%) between 2019 and 2024. Over the same period, computer and tablet ownership also grew significantly (+23%).
The pandemic appears to have played a key role in accelerating this transition, as lockdowns drove unprecedented digital reliance. In 2019, 60.4% of households owned a computer or tablet; by 2024, the rate reached 74%. Over five years, this represents a 22.5% increase, largely driven by a growing preference for portable devices. Meanwhile, desktop computer ownership keeps declining, dropping from 13.2% in 2019 to 8.2% in 2024, a 38% decrease.
In parallel, household internet access increased by more than 10%, approaching national saturation. The connectivity rate rose from 80.8% to 89.2% between 2019 and 2024. Urban areas now stand at 93.6% (+6%), while rural areas have made a significant leap to 78.4% (+12%).
Source: ANRT
Internet use and rising tensions within households
Internet use among children has grown sharply, rising from 50.1% to 67% (+34%). In 2024, the most common activities among young users include education (95.5%), gaming and entertainment (90.7%), and social media (80.9%).
But increased access also brings challenges. The ANRT notes that parents increasingly worry about the effects of excessive internet use on their children's health and time management. These concerns have become a growing source of household tension, even if conflicts remain relatively infrequent.
Source: ANRT
Between 2022 and 2024, the share of parents reporting frequent tensions rose from 4% to 7.6% (+90%), occasional tensions from 30% to 30.8% (+3%), while rare tensions decreased from 40% to 32.8% (-18%). Despite this, three out of five parents say they view their children's internet use positively, even though nine out of ten households are unaware of national online child-protection initiatives.
The ANRT’s national survey covered 5,760 «observation units», targeting households and individuals in both urban and rural Morocco. The sample included 3,840 urban households and 1,920 rural ones, as well as 3,840 individuals aged five and above in urban areas and 1,920 in rural areas.
