Free zones of Kenitra and the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region: AFZ, Aïn Johra, Bouknadel 2, Skhirat
The Kenitra Atlantic Free Zone has been the subject of two successive draft extensions: 442.56 hectares in February 2024 (per the press), then 598.68 hectares in March 2025, publication to be verified. Here are the zones of Kenitra and its Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region (Aïn Johra is in Khemisset province), their areas, what they are used for, and what separates a free zone from an ordinary industrial zone.
In the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region, several industrial acceleration zones (ZAI) have been created or enlarged since 2022. The best known, the Atlantic Free Zone, has been the subject of two successive draft extensions: 442.56 hectares in February 2024 (per the press), then 598.68 hectares in March 2025, publication to be verified; no consolidated text is available. For an executive comparing sites, or holding an asset on this axis, the exact perimeter matters: it decides what is bought or valued.
This guide is the counterpart of the one on the Tangier and Tétouan zones. The common legal framework is in the national guide to free zones.
The zones of the axis and their published areas
| Zone | Municipality | Published area | Developer | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Free Zone (Ameur Seflia) | Kenitra | 442.56 ha (draft decree, Council of February 2024, per the press), then 598.68 ha (Council of 13/03/2025, draft decree 2.25.149 amending decree 2.09.442, two parcels) | MEDZ (CDG subsidiary), per CDG | Existing; two successive extensions, Official Bulletin publication to be verified |
| Aïn Johra | Sidi Boukhalkhal, Khemisset province | 69.98 ha (2022); 117 ha after the March 2025 extension, per Hespress (single source, to be confirmed) | Park management company | Decree 2.22.433, Council of 30 June 2022; extension approved March 2025 |
| Bouknadel 2 | Salé prefecture (Sidi Bouknadel per TelQuel, Amer commune per Médias24) | Not found | Not found | Decree 2.26.593, OB no. 7549 of 5 October 2026, per the press |
| Skhirat | Skhirat | Not found | Not found | Draft decree 2.25.800, Council of 9 October 2025; publication not verified |
| New AMDL logistics zone | Kenitra | Not specified | AMDL | Announced July 2024, under way per Le Matin (12 May 2026); not a ZAI |
To place the rest of the country: Midparc, at Nouaceur near Casablanca, has 125 hectares of which 38 saleable in free zone per CDG (128 ha in 2025 press); the Jorf ZAI at Moulay Abdellah, 283 ha 93 a 84 ca (decree 2-24-257 of 29 March 2024); Fez-Bensouda has draft decree 2.25.799 adopted on 9 October 2025. These zones are covered in the national guide.
The areas. For the Atlantic Free Zone, 442.56 and 598.68 hectares are two successive stages: the extension approved in February 2024 (per the press), then draft decree 2.25.149 of the Council of 13 March 2025, which amends decree 2.09.442 of 21 December 2009 and covers two parcels, per MAP. We have not verified the publication of these texts in the Official Bulletin. Before buying or valuing, have the developer and the creation act confirm the perimeter in force. Aïn Johra is not in Kenitra but in Khemisset province, and its 117 hectares rest on Hespress alone. For Bouknadel 2, even the location (Sidi Bouknadel or Amer) differs between sources.
Who sets up there
The press places car makers on the axis, notably at the Atlantic Free Zone, as well as an electric-vehicle battery project whose commissioning was announced for October 2026, not confirmed to date. We name no companies and give no production figures, for lack of a primary source.
The exact purpose of each zone is in its creation act (Law 19-94, art. 2): only the activities it provides for are authorised. A plot is therefore meant for a type of occupier, not all. For an already built asset, the first question is the fit between the activity carried out, the authorisation issued and the creation act.
Access: the high-speed line and freight
The Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed line, which starts at Kenitra, reached about 30% progress in May 2026 according to TelQuel (26 May 2026), within an ONCF programme of MAD 96 billion over 2024-2030 (Médias24, 22 January 2025). This infrastructure concerns passengers first: the freight component and dry ports of these programmes are not verified. A rail argument should therefore not enter a valuation without evidence on freight. We publish no journey times or distances, for lack of a source.
Free zone or ordinary industrial zone: what changes
| Point | Industrial acceleration zone (Law 19-94) | Ordinary industrial zone |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Law 19-94 and the zone's creation act; Law 102-21 does not apply, per the press | Ordinary rules of planning and industrial zone development |
| Access | Authorisation by the wali or governor on the binding opinion of the local commission (art. 11, consolidated 2001 version); activities set by the creation act | No local commission under Law 19-94 |
| Corporate tax | 5-year exemption from the start of operations, then 20% (CGI art. 6-II-B-8°, 247-XXXVII-A-2); exclusion from the 35% rate (art. 19-I-B) | Ordinary rules: 20%; 35% if net profit reaches MAD 100 million (art. 19-I) |
| Customs and exchange regime | Goods entering from the territory treated as exported; settlement in foreign currency within the zone (arts. 19 and 22) | Ordinary customs rules |
| Resale of a plot | No restriction on transfer in the law itself, but only an authorised company may operate the plot; art. 27 on transfer back before the 10th year | No restriction specific to Law 19-94 |
The table does not say which is better: an ordinary zone suits an activity aimed at the domestic market, a ZAI an export activity. It says references cannot be carried from one to the other. As the regime attaches to the authorised company, a plot's value does not depend on its current occupier's tax position.
Valuing an asset on the Atlantic axis
The Tangier guide applies here: comparables chosen among equivalent zones, right held qualified (freehold, surface right or lease), authorisation and creation act reread, plot status specified. Two points specific to the axis: the successive extensions above, which require placing the plot in the exact zone, and the proximity of ordinary industrial zones, whose references are not transferable. We quantify no discount or premium.
Kenitra is not one of our six cities: we act from our network, with surveys and boundary marking done by partner surveyors. See our industrial real estate valuation page, the Kenitra valuation guide and, for land supply outside free zones, the article on logistics land.
For the value of a plot, unit or warehouse in Kenitra or on the Rabat-Salé axis, the assignment is presented on the page industrial real estate valuation in Morocco, from MAD 3,500 excl. VAT, quote within 24 hours.
- Have the exact zone perimeter confirmed, and the plot's place within the creation act.
- Check whether the site is a ZAI or an ordinary industrial zone.
- Gather the authorisation, the developer's internal rules and the plot contract.
- Qualify the right held: freehold, surface right or lease.
- Accept no rail freight argument without supporting evidence.
FAQ
What is the area of the Atlantic Free Zone in Kenitra?
They are two successive stages: 442.56 hectares in the draft extension approved in February 2024 (per the press), then 598.68 hectares in draft decree 2.25.149, approved by the Government Council on 13 March 2025 per MAP. Their publication in the Official Bulletin is to be verified. Have the perimeter confirmed by the developer, MEDZ according to CDG.
What is the difference between a free zone and an ordinary industrial zone?
An industrial acceleration free zone falls under Law 19-94: authorisation by the wali on the binding opinion of a local commission, a special customs and exchange regime, 5-year corporate tax exemption. According to the press, Law 102-21 on industrial zones does not apply to it. An ordinary zone falls under ordinary rules.
What are Aïn Johra, Bouknadel 2 and Skhirat?
Aïn Johra is a ZAI in Khemisset province (Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region), of 69.98 hectares under decree 2.22.433 (2022) and 117 hectares after the March 2025 extension per Hespress, the only source. Bouknadel 2 has a decree published in Official Bulletin no. 7549 of 5 October 2026, per the press. Skhirat is a draft decree adopted by the Government Council on 9 October 2025, whose publication is not verified.
Does the high-speed line improve freight access?
We cannot say so. The Kenitra-Marrakech line had reached about 30% progress in May 2026 according to the press, within an ONCF programme of MAD 96 billion over 2024-2030, but the freight component and dry ports of these programmes are not verified.
Can an Atlantic Free Zone plot be resold to any manufacturer?
Not to just any manufacturer: the law itself sets no restriction on transfer, but only a company that obtains the authorisation may operate the plot, the creation act sets the admitted activities and the plot contract may add conditions. In the consolidated 2001 version we read, article 27 of Law 19-94 provides for increased registration duties on transfer back before the tenth year, except to a company in the zone. Consult your notary.
Do you work in Kenitra?
Yes, from our network, Kenitra not being one of our six cities. Valuation starts at MAD 3,500 excl. VAT with a quote within 24 hours. Surveys and boundary marking are done by partner surveyors.
Related reading
- Kenitra property valuation: Atlantic Free Zone and Gharb land tenure
- Free zones: the tax regime in detail
- Industrial property market 2026: zones mapping
All our articles : real estate insights.
An asset in Kenitra or on the Rabat-Salé axis to value?
Zone perimeter, right held, comparables between equivalent zones. From MAD 3,500 excl. VAT, quote within 24 hours.
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