Kenitra, Morocco - Africa's first integrated battery gigafactory is now entering production. Gotion High-Tech's Moroccan subsidiary, Gotion Power Morocco, is commissioning the continent's first large-scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in the Kenitra Atlantic Free Zone. The first production line is scheduled to begin cell manufacturing in October 2026, with a second line following in November. Once fully operational, the facility will mark a historic milestone: Africa will no longer be just a supplier of raw materials but a manufacturer of finished battery cells.
The first phase of the plant will generate around 10 GWh of battery cells and packs annually with the goal of reaching 100 GWh in the long run. The initial investment should be around $1.3 billion as a part of the total investment of about $7 billion. This facility is going to be the first integrated cathode-to-cell gigafactory in Africa and the MENA region. The chemical composition of LFP used by the plant will be more economical and have better thermal safety than that of NMC batteries, which will make it suitable for producing low-cost electric vehicles or stationary energy storage systems.
Morocco's closeness to European countries and the already existing automotive manufacturing infrastructure in the country make the place a suitable export location. In Morocco, both Renault and Stellantis operate major manufacturing plants. Gotion Power Morocco's president Khalid Qalam has stated that the batteries will be mainly created for automotive plants in Morocco or Southern Europe. This means that the European OEMs will be able to obtain the cells from the nearest region, which is much cheaper and more efficient than importing the products from Asia.
The project has attracted significant institutional backing. The African Development Bank approved a €100 million loan in July 2026 and is mobilizing up to an additional €141 million from financial partners under the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD). Kevin Kariuki, the Bank Group's Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, described battery storage as "the missing link in Africa's clean energy transition." The first phase is expected to create more than 600 direct jobs and achieve a local industrial integration rate of 70%.
Historically, Africa has supplied critical minerals - cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo, phosphate from Morocco - but has captured little of the value-added manufacturing. This project begins to reverse that pattern. Achraf Tarsim, the Bank's Country Manager for Morocco, called the gigafactory "a major catalyst for strengthening Morocco's industrial competitiveness and for accelerating its emergence as Africa's manufacturing hub for sustainable mobility industries."
Timing is important. While the US and EU are raising tariffs around Chinese battery production, Morocco provides an alternative: a free trade agreement with the EU, an emerging automotive city, and domestic battery production. European automakers looking to reduce costs through local production have the option of Kenitra as another avenue besides expensive domestic production or supply straight from Asia. The assembly of battery packs will start by end of 2026. With ability to produce 100 GWh, Gotion will establish Morocco as a front runner in the battery production ecosystem and African gigafactory. Production of battery packs will start in October.
