First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s banking sector enters an AI-defined growth phase from a position of strength, according to the third edition of Boston Consulting Group’s Future of Finance 2026 report, which analyses the performance of nearly 1,500 financial institutions, including major African markets. In 2025, Moroccan banks recorded approximately 8 percent growth in their consolidated balance sheets, while […]
Morocco’s trade deficit widened 20.8% year-on-year to 160 billion dirhams ($17 billion) in the first five months of 2026 as rising imports outpaced export growth, but robust remittances from Moroccans living abroad and higher tourism receipts helped offset pressure on the country’s external accounts. Imports rose 11.8%, compared with export growth of 5.8% to 211 […]
Morocco’s National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) has secured more than €580 million in international financing for its “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030” strategy, with some €175 million — approximately 40 percent of total commitments, equivalent to 1.9 billion dirhams — already disbursed. The figures were disclosed at a high-level review meeting in Rabat on […]
Morocco has taken a significant step toward ending the fiscal free-riding of global digital multinationals on its market. On 11 June 2026, the Direction générale des impôts (DGI) launched a dedicated platform for the taxation of digital services, accessible through the SIMPL tax portal. The measure follows the publication of decree no. 2-25-862 in December […]
Morocco has rapidly equipped millions of citizens with digital wallets but is struggling to convert infrastructure into daily payment behavior. According to an analysis by Aurora Strategy Consulting, the country counted 13.8 million open wallets at end-2024 and approximately 3.8 million active ones — an activity rate of 18 percent and an adult equipment rate […]
Tunisia recorded a significant increase in suspicious transaction reports (STRs) linked to money laundering and terrorist financing between 2020 and 2025, according to a strategic analysis bulletin from the Tunisian Financial Analysis Commission (CTAF). The data show that STRs rose from 446 in 2020 to 1,334 in 2025, representing an increase of 888 reports, or […]
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has released on July 2 its June 2026 production and revenue figures, disclosing robust oil and gas output alongside significant financial inflows under its transparency and disclosure framework. Total crude oil production for the month reached 41,867,126 barrels, with 29,950,320 barrels allocated to the Libyan state and 10,909,540 barrels assigned […]
The European Investment Bank announced on Tuesday €365 million investments destined to boost Morocco’s transport sector, connectivity and economic opportunities. The new European Bank’s investments have been announced by EIB President Nadia Calviño during the working visit she is paying to the Kingdom. The EIB funding aims to strengthen the resilience and security of Morocco’s […]
Morocco’s national savings rate rose to 31.4 percent of GDP in the first quarter of 2026, up from 29.5 percent in the same period of 2025, according to the High Commission for Planning. The improvement, set out in HCP’s economic situation note for Q1 2026, reflects stronger income growth relative to consumption and represents a […]
Mauritania and China have signed a MoU in Nouakchott on 29 June for the partial cancellation of Mauritania’s debt, marking a fresh step in bilateral economic cooperation. The agreement was signed by Mauritanian Minister of Economic Affairs and Development Abdallahy Ould Souleymane Ould Cheikh Sidiya and Chinese Ambassador Tang Zhongdong. Speaking at the ceremony, the […]