Transforming Public Procurement in Morocco through Blockchain Technology: The Impact of Smart Contracts on E-Governance Frameworks
Grar Hicham, CHAIBI HASNA, Faqihi Moulay Ahmed · Procedia Computer Science · 2025
Blockchain technology is increasingly recognized as a transformative tool in public sector governance. This paper examines how Morocco’s public procurement process might incorporate blockchain, especially smart contracts. Using blockchain’s primary properties—transparency, traceability, and immutability—the research shows how smart contracts can automate procurement processes, lower fraud, and increase budgetary efficiency. Highlighting its technical feasibility, a simulation of blockchain-based procurement is created using a local Ethereum network. Legal-institutional issues as well as comparative global case studies (Estonia, Chile, UAE) are addressed. Provided that legal, technical, and institutional changes go hand in hand with the deployment of blockchain, the results point to its great potential to enhance governance and service delivery. This study focuses primarily on one of the cornerstones of this technological advance, namely smart contracts, which are true catalysts for automation, securing contractual commitments in public procurement, guaranteeing compliance with contractual stipulations and optimizing budget allocations. These self-executing protocols eliminate intermediaries, streamline bureaucratic processes and establish an immutable audit trail that promotes accountability and public confidence. The study also provides a simulation of the integration of blockchain into a public procurement system, illustrating in concrete terms its potential impact on the efficiency, transparency and accountability of administrative processes. The paper also stresses the importance of interoperability between blockchain platforms and existing administrative infrastructures, which is essential to ensure a smooth and scalable transition. The results highlight considerable potential: the adoption of blockchain in public administration is redefining governance paradigms by fostering trust between stakeholders, including the State, citizens and economic players. This technology not only enhances transparency and accountability, but also paves the way for a fairer, more responsive and resilient administration, capable of meeting the complex challenges of contemporary governance. As such, blockchain can reduce corruption, improve the delivery of public services and optimize the allocation of resources.