Appointed by King Mohammed VI to lead the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Public Performance, Fouzi Lekjaa has reached a major milestone in a career built at the highest levels of Morocco’s public administration. Having served as Director of the Budget and later as Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, the 56-year-old official now takes charge of a full ministerial portfolio after establishing himself as a key architect of the government’s financial decisions and social dialogue.
The explicit addition of “Public Performance” to his new portfolio significantly broadens his responsibilities beyond maintaining fiscal balance. A leading figure in the economic programme of the National Rally of Independents (PAM) during the September 2026 legislative elections, Lekjaa will be tasked with reconciling sustainable public finances with the need to deliver measurable results for citizens and businesses.
From Budget Specialist to the Forefront of Government
An agricultural engineer trained at the IAV Hassan II and a graduate of the National School of Administration, Fouzi Lekjaa joined Morocco’s General Inspectorate of Finance in 1997 before spending nearly 11 years working in the Budget Directorate.
Appointed Minister Delegate in October 2021, he became the government’s leading voice in defending finance bills before Parliament, gradually earning a reputation as one of the Kingdom’s most influential financial policymakers.
His decisive role in complex social negotiations further demonstrated his ability to combine political dialogue with fiscal discipline. A notable example was the December 2023 agreement granting teachers a salary increase of 1,500 dirhams, highlighting his capacity to help secure social commitments while taking account of the State’s financial constraints.
His promotion to Minister of Economy, Finance and Public Performance therefore represents both recognition of his experience and a broader mandate at a pivotal moment for Morocco’s economic development.
Delivering Results and Supporting the 2030 World Cup Vision
As a full-fledged minister, Fouzi Lekjaa now faces the challenge of translating public investment and government commitments into tangible improvements in priority sectors, including healthcare, education and employment.
His new responsibilities come against the backdrop of an ambitious fiscal framework, including the PAM’s five-year programme, estimated at 350 billion dirhams. The challenge will be to ensure that these resources generate measurable benefits for Moroccan households, businesses and local communities while preserving the sustainability of public finances.
At the same time, Lekjaa retains a leading role in preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup as president of the World Cup Committee. Morocco will co-host the tournament with Spain and Portugal, an opportunity for the Kingdom to strengthen its international standing while accelerating infrastructure development and economic growth.
The key challenge will be to turn these major investments into a lasting development legacy, with improved regional infrastructure, stronger public services and greater efficiency in the management of public resources.
With his combined expertise in public finance and sports governance, Fouzi Lekjaa occupies a strategic position within Morocco’s development agenda. His expanded portfolio places him at the heart of the Kingdom’s efforts to align economic ambition, fiscal responsibility and the delivery of tangible results for its citizens.
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