I had the distinct honor of visiting Morocco with my colleagues to attend the International Symposium of Smart Cities (ISSC), graciously hosted by my good friend and mentor, Mr. Mohamed Ali Habouha, the Governor of Berkane.
The event brought together a remarkable lineup of policymakers, academics, and industry leaders, including representatives from Fortune 500 tech giants like Oracle and Microsoft, to discuss a powerful theme: “Managing Smart Cities in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).”
Hosted in the beautiful province of Berkane, this year’s symposium was more than just a conference, it was a call to action. The city is rapidly evolving into a true smart city, leveraging automation, digital infrastructure, and data-driven governance to create a more sustainable, efficient, and livable environment for its citizens.
I was especially impressed by the strategic MOUs signed between the government of Berkane and several technical partners. These agreements were backed by strong monitoring systems designed to ensure the actual implementation of these initiatives, a model that other African nations should emulate.
Morocco’s forward-thinking vision and commitment to sustainable digital transformation is not just inspiring, it’s actionable. It’s time Nigeria and other African countries take a page from Morocco’s playbook by investing in smart technologies, empowering regional leaders, and building urban systems that serve people and the planet.
Events like ISSC remind us that the future of Africa lies not just in policy but in practical, scalable, and tech-powered collaboration.
Let’s build the future, smartly.
