Jennifer Lopez has inaugurated in Casablanca the Morocco Mall, billed as Africa’s largest shopping centre and among the world’s top five.

After Princess Lalla Meryem officially opened the mall on Thursday, the US star became its first customer and capped the glitzy launch with a private concert.

The sprawling megamall, which sits on 10 hectares of land facing the Atlantic Ocean, aims to attract 14 million visitors a year and become one top tourist destinations.

According to its developers, Moroccan group Aksal and Saudi group Al Jedaie, the mall will lead to the creation of 5,000 direct and 21,000 indirect jobs.

Among the 600 brands represented in the mall, the Galeries Lafayette outlet has earned the Guinness World Record for “the largest in-store shop facade.”

One of the mall’s design landmarks is the central aquarium, which holds a million litres of water and has a lift running through its core.

Source: AFP