Ben Guerir
Phosphate mining town. 2017: UM6P university founded, aims to diversify into tech/research hub. Still phosphate-dependent as of 2026.
Ben Guerir grew as a phosphate mining town serving nearby deposits, following the pattern of Khouribga but smaller scale. In 2017, King Mohammed VI inaugurated UM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University), transforming Ben Guerir from company town into emerging tech hub. The university focuses on African development, agriculture technology, and phosphate-related industries—attempting to capture more of the phosphate value chain through research and innovation rather than just extraction. Whether this succeeds in diversifying beyond OCP Group dependency remains to be seen. As of 2026, UM6P attracts African students and researchers, but Ben Guerir's economy still centers on phosphate mining.