The board of directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €100 million loan to Gotion Power Morocco, a subsidiary of the Chinese group Gotion High-Tech. This financing is intended to contribute to the construction of an integrated lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery factory in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra free zone, according to a statement released by the institution on July 24, 2026.
AfDB also indicates that it plans to mobilize up to an additional €141 million from financial partners to support the project’s implementation. It specifies that it is acting as the lead arranger mandated under the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD).
A first integrated factory announced for Africa and the MENA region
Led by Gotion High-Tech, a group based in Hefei, China and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, the project is presented as the first integrated battery manufacturing plant of its kind in Africa and the Middle East and North Africa region. The facility is expected to produce, in the first phase, 10 gigawatt hours (GWh) of cells and battery packs for electric vehicles, with a planned capacity increase to 100 GWh.
According to the Bank, this project aligns with Morocco’s ambition to strengthen its position in value chains related to electric mobility and green technologies.
Over 600 direct jobs announced
AfDB estimates that the first phase of the project could generate over 600 direct jobs. It also cites a 70% local industrial integration rate, with a focus on skills development and the structuring of a local industrial ecosystem around the battery sector.
The institution also highlights that the operation aligns with its priorities in terms of infrastructure, industrialization, valorization of African resources, and regional integration. It believes that the project could contribute to the development of electric mobility and energy storage on the continent.
