Banking

One of the most-developed in Africa, Morocco’s banking sector is home to some of the continent’s largest banks, several of which have become major regional players and continue to expand their African footprint. Penetration is rising rapidly as product offerings continue to evolve, most notably through a banking law passed in early 2015 that has set the stage for fully sharia-compliant banks. As recent improvements in macroeconomic fundamentals have helped resolve liquidity shortages, lending has picked up, growing by about 4% in the year to end-2014 – though, as in many emerging markets, loan books tilt heavily towards the short term.

This chapter contains an interview with Abdellatif Jouahri, Governor, Bank Al Maghrib; and a dialogue with Othman Benjelloun, Chairman and CEO, BMCE Bank of Africa Group; and Mohamed Benchaâboun, CEO, Banque Centrale Populaire.