Gotion Sets Launch Date for Its Battery Gigafactory in Kénitra
Chinese group Gotion has set next October as the launch date for Africa's first battery gigafactory in Kénitra, a roughly $5.6 billion project expected to create thousands of jobs.
Chinese group "Gotion High-Tech," through its Moroccan subsidiary "Gotion Power Morocco," has set next October as the new date for bringing Africa's first battery gigafactory into production, located in the Atlantic Free Zone near Kénitra, after a series of schedule delays since the investment agreement was signed in June 2024 in Rabat.
A five-phase project worth over $5.6 billion
The plant is dedicated to producing lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, as part of an overall investment estimated at around $5.6 billion, split into five phases of 20 gigawatt-hours each, for a total capacity of 100 gigawatt-hours once completed. The Chinese group has pledged to create close to 17,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB), which approved a €100 million loan for "Gotion Power Morocco," with the possibility of mobilizing an additional €141 million from other financial partners.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total investment | about $5.6 billion |
| Capacity once complete | 100 GWh (5 phases x 20 GWh) |
| Expected jobs | about 17,000 direct and indirect |
| AfDB loan | €100 million (+€141 million potential) |
| Planned start-up | October 2026 |
A repeatedly postponed timeline
"Gotion Power Morocco" initially targeted the third quarter of 2026 for the plant's start-up, before the date slipped to August of the same year, while reports in July described the timeline as still uncertain despite completion of major construction works and securing AfDB financing. According to the latest information, the company's officials in Morocco have now set next October as the effective date for the first production line to enter service, ahead of the start of commercial shipments of batteries.
Why this project matters for Morocco's economy
Morocco is banking on this plant, the first of its kind on the African continent, to strengthen its position in the global value chain for electric vehicles and energy storage batteries, helped by the Atlantic Free Zone's proximity to the Tanger Med port and the European market. The project is part of an acceleration of foreign industrial investment in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, which is also home to a Stellantis automotive plant.