Moroccan entrepreneur Abderrahim Naji won the "Mattei Plan Africa Award" in Rome for his audiovisual work highlighting Italian business initiatives across Africa, part of the "Visioni Made in Italy" film project.
The award, presented to the Moroccan laureate for the 2026 edition, seeks to shed light on other dimensions of foreign trade, particularly skills, local communities, sustainability and the ability to generate positive impacts for communities.
Naji was among 30 finalists shortlisted from around 100 applications submitted across Italy. The entries were assessed by a jury comprising professionals and experts from the audiovisual industry, business and institutional sectors.
In a statement to MAP, Naji expressed his delight saying that it reflects a story of Moroccan pride and entrepreneurial excellence, as well as the ties between Morocco and Italy.
"My experience is that of a Moroccan who found in Italy an opportunity to establish a business and contribute to industrial development, while remaining deeply attached to my country and the values of my roots," he pointed out.
In 2015, Naji was named "Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year" in Italy at the seventh edition of the MoneyGram Awards.
The award ceremony, held on the sidelines of the Rome Film Festival, was attended by several prominent figures from the economic, diplomatic, political, artistic and media spheres.
The "Visioni Made in Italy" project, launched by SIMEST, a subsidiary of the state-owned Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group, in collaboration with Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to use cinema as a tool for economic and cultural diplomacy and to promote Italian expertise internationally.
MAP: 22 October 2026
