The largest private healthcare provider, Akdital Holding, recently announced a bold $1.6 billion expansion into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This was not just another business decision but an unmistakable indication that Morocco’s private hospitals have outgrown their borders and are now stepping confidently onto a global stage. What began as a national success story is quickly evolving into a regional force, reshaping how Moroccan companies view growth, competitiveness, and influence across Africa and the Middle East.
This move comes at a moment when Morocco’s healthcare system is transforming at home, Gulf economies are aggressively modernising their health sectors, and Africa is asserting itself as a rising player in global service industries. Against this backdrop, Akdital’s expansion is not only a milestone for the company but it is a reflection of Morocco’s growing economic confidence, its maturing private sector, and its emerging role as a continental leader.
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Akdital’s $1.6 billion Gulf expansion marks a major strategic push into Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with plans to develop up to eight new hospitals by 2030 and an initial entry into Riyadh through the management of Al Mishari Hospital in July 2025. The project is supported by a diversified funding structure that includes equity investments from Gulf family offices, $86 million in bond issuances in Morocco, and a $700 million property-backed financing pipeline managed by its real estate arm, Tazak. Akdital also aims to convert Tazak into a REIT and list it on the Casablanca Stock Exchange by 2027, reinforcing its long-term regional growth ambitions.
Cities like Mecca, Riyadh, and Dubai are top priorities, a smart entry point given their high medical demand, large expatriate populations, and investment-friendly regulations.
The company expects up to 50% of its revenue to come from international operations by 2030, compared to 0% just two years ago.
The Gulf offers one of the fastest-growing and highest-spending healthcare markets in the world, with Saudi Arabia’s health expenditure set to exceed $66 billion by 2026 and the UAE’s private healthcare sector expanding 8–10% annually. Rapid investment in AI, diagnostics, medical tourism, and digital health has created an environment where efficient, fast-scaling operators like Akdital can thrive. These structural tailwinds make the region significantly more lucrative than most African markets.
Beyond market size, the Gulf’s regulatory frameworks, shaped by Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE’s digital health initiatives, actively encourage private-sector leadership in hospital management and service delivery. For Akdital, the region also offers a cultural and operational soft landing: strong Morocco–Gulf ties, the presence of skilled Moroccan medical professionals, and familiarity with governance models allow the company to compete effectively against Western healthcare groups.
This expansion is redefining Morocco’s regional stature by positioning the country as a true Pan-African healthcare leader and a pioneering example of African private-sector globalization. With 41 hospitals across 24 cities and plans to reach 62 by 2027, the company is already the continent’s fastest-growing hospital group, and now one of the few African healthcare firms competing internationally. Its creation of a potential Gulf-backed, healthcare-focused REIT through Tazak would further establish Morocco as a hub for cross-border investment, making Casablanca a strategic gateway linking African healthcare opportunities with Gulf capital.
Morocco’s private healthcare sector is experiencing rapid, data-backed growth, with hospital market revenue expected to hit $3.33 billion in 2025 and private investment projected to reach $3.2 billion. The country has significantly expanded its infrastructure, increasing private clinics from 375 in 2020 to 453 in 2024 and raising private bed capacity from 28% to 40%. Universal Health Coverage will extend compulsory insurance to over 88% of the population by 2025, boosting demand for private care. Workforce reforms, including opening the system to foreign doctors, support this expansion, while Morocco’s push toward digitisation through e-health records, interoperable systems, and telemedicine creates a strong foundation for digital-driven regional and global growth.
Akdital’s ambitious Gulf expansion is not without challenges. The company faces fierce competition from established regional players such as Mediclinic, NMC Health, and Saudi German Hospital Group, each with decades of operational experience. Regulatory complexity adds another layer of risk, as Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector undergoes major restructuring, including new licensing requirements, AI ethics guidelines, and health-data governance rules. Domestically, Morocco’s private healthcare market is growing rapidly, with competitors like Oncorad rising, meaning Akdital must balance scaling abroad without losing focus at home. Finally, executing the construction and operationalisation of eight new hospitals by 2030 demands flawless logistics, staffing, and financial discipline.
Globally, Akdital’s move signals a broader shift: Africa is increasingly exporting expertise rather than just receiving investment. This mirrors trends in other sectors, such as Nigerian fintech expanding into Europe, Kenyan logistics firms entering the Middle East, South African telecoms operating in Asia, and Moroccan banks leading in West Africa. In healthcare, Morocco is positioning itself as the continent’s first exporter of private healthcare models, showcasing African capability in managing sophisticated medical infrastructure and service delivery on a global stage. Akdital’s project serves as a benchmark for African companies seeking to compete internationally while maintaining domestic excellence.
Looking ahead, the expansion opens significant opportunities. Strengthened Africa–Gulf economic ties could lead to joint ventures in medical education, pharmaceutical production, AI hospital systems, and regional telemedicine platforms. Morocco could also emerge as a hub for medical tourism, offering affordable care, rehabilitation services, and training for African and Middle Eastern medical professionals. The Gulf’s focus on AI and Morocco’s digital health agenda create the potential for one of Africa’s most advanced HealthTech ecosystems. In sum, Akdital’s $1.6 billion investment is a defining moment for Morocco’s global ambitions, elevating the country’s healthcare standing, enhancing revenue streams, and demonstrating Africa’s capacity to influence global markets while transforming a domestic champion into a multinational leader.
