Diesel Price Tops 17 Dirhams: Morocco Protest Call
A citizens' committee is calling for a voluntary stoppage on November 8 after diesel topped 17 dirhams, as lawmakers demand the Samir refinery's restart and a cap on fuel companies' profit margins.
The price of diesel has topped 17 dirhams per liter at several fuel stations in Morocco, prompting the "Citizens' Initiative Committee for Capping Fuel Prices" to call for a voluntary stoppage on Sunday, November 8, from noon to 6 PM, according to Alyaoum24.
The action, carried under the slogan "For dignity and the protection of all Moroccans' purchasing power," aims to involve citizens and transport workers, including taxi and truck drivers. The committee describes it as "a means of peaceful, responsible protest" meant to win fairer measures to protect purchasing power, without harming citizens' essential interests.
The committee's demands
The committee is demanding the restart of the Samir refinery in Mohammedia, opening the way for investment in regional oil-refining companies under clear legal rules, a tighter legal framework governing fuel prices, and stricter monitoring of monopolistic practices and possible collusion among companies.
According to a comparison published by the committee, fuel costs account for 21% of the average wage in Morocco, compared with 8.4% in Tunisia, 7.1% in Brazil, 3.8% in Spain, and just 1.6% in Japan.
Parliament divided over fuel companies' margins
The call coincided with Wednesday's review, by the House of Representatives' infrastructure and energy committee, of the 2027 budget for the Ministry of Energy Transition, according to Al3omk. Idriss El Azmi El Idrissi, head of the PJD parliamentary group, called for a serious study of restarting Samir, arguing it would boost competition in the fuel market and national energy security; his group sent a letter to the Speaker requesting a joint meeting of the finance and energy committees to examine the refinery's legal, technical and financial aspects.
El Azmi also called for capping fuel companies' profit margins, citing the tax hike from 35% to 40% on companies with profits above 100 million dirhams. Ahmed Abbadi, head of the PPS group, criticized how quickly global price increases pass through to the local market compared with the slow pace of price cuts, calling for tighter oversight and citing Competition Council remarks on possible unlawful understandings among fuel companies. While welcoming the tax increase, he warned consumers could ultimately bear its cost, proposing instead to negotiate margins, temporarily cut some taxes, or give direct support to vulnerable and middle-income groups.
Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Chorfat Afilal faced parliamentary demands to clarify Samir's status and the cost of restarting it, or to consider an alternative such as a new refinery in Nador or elsewhere.
| Product | Days of coverage |
|---|---|
| Premium gasoline | 94 days |
| Fuel oil | 87 days |
| Diesel | 77 days |
| Jet fuel | 61 days |
| Butane | 58 days |
RNI lawmaker Mohamed El Kaidi said national storage capacity rose 126% to over 3 million cubic meters, while criticizing the allocation of just 740 million dirhams to the energy and sustainable development sectors in the budget, at a time when Morocco's energy dependence exceeds 80%.
Background to the crisis
The developments come days after Economy and Finance Minister Fouzi Lekjaa ruled out a return of fuel subsidies, citing an estimated cost of 50 to 70 billion dirhams, and after Head of Government Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri set up a commission to monitor prices and protect purchasing power.