According to Uber’s statement, rides will now be provided exclusively through authorized transport vehicles, with two options available to users: UberX and UberXL. The application now allows users to book rides, plan their trips in advance, pay online, schedule multiple routes, and access customer support available 24/7 through the platform’s international teams.
This comeback does not come as a surprise. Uber recently recruited a national director based in Marrakech under the supervision of Yousra Lakhdar, a French-Moroccan member of Uber’s strategy and planning team in Dubai. Additionally, Careem users, a subsidiary of Uber, had received notifications announcing an upcoming transition to Uber services, suggesting an expected return.
While Uber is returning to the Moroccan market, it does so in a regulatory landscape that remains unclear. The Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, recalled last July that ride-hailing services are illegal in their current form, while confirming that the ministry is working on establishing a new regulatory framework to organize this type of activity.
In recent years, strong tensions between traditional taxi drivers and app-based drivers have led authorities to reinforce controls and attempt to regulate the sector.
Despite its withdrawal in 2018, the subsidiary Uber Systems Morocco has remained legally registered and continued filing financial statements with the commercial court. In 2023, the company declared revenues of 8.8 million dirhams. Careem, which had only operated through a representative office in Casablanca, eventually ceased its activity.
Launched in Morocco in 2015, Uber was the first transport platform to enter the market. However, from the beginning, the company faced:
- fierce opposition from taxi drivers (assaults, blockages, tension in public areas),
- a suspension order issued by the Casablanca-Settat prefecture declaring the activity illegal.
Under regulatory and political pressure, Uber was forced to exit the market in 2018, before returning today with a revised strategy more aligned with upcoming legal requirements.
A strategic comeback ahead of major events
This relaunch is taking place during an exceptional context: AFCON 2025 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup are encouraging the country to improve mobility infrastructure and adopt more digital solutions.
Uber now hopes to help streamline transportation, attract visitors, and contribute to a shift toward more modern mobility, while considering future expansion to other cities in the Kingdom.
Editorial team/le7tv