logo
IMF Urges Morocco to Target 2% Inflation, Cut Debt Amid Economic Growth

IMF Urges Morocco to Target 2% Inflation, Cut Debt Amid Economic Growth

Morocco World11-02-2025
Doha - Morocco\u2019s economy is set to grow by 3.9% in 2025, up from 3.2% in 2024, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommends the country\u2019s central bank to adopt an inflation-targeting framework and accelerate debt reduction efforts.<\><\>
\u201cWith inflation back to around 2%, Bank Al-Maghrib should continue its preparation to adopt an inflation-targeting framework,\u201d the IMF <\> stated<\><\> following its Article IV consultation mission to Morocco, conducted from January 27 to February 7.<\><\>
The country\u2019s inflation rate experienced a significant drop, falling from 6.1% in 2023 to 0.9% in 2024, according to Bank Al-Maghrib data. The central bank projects inflation to reach 2.4% this year.<\><\>
Roberto Cardarelli, who led the IMF mission, noted that \u201cthe current broadly neutral monetary policy stance is appropriate,\u201d adding that future policy rate changes should remain \u201cdata dependent.\u201d<\><\>
The IMF mission recalled Morocco\u2019s fiscal achievements, with <\> tax reforms<\><\> enabling higher-than-expected revenue and reducing the fiscal deficit to 4.1% of GDP in 2024, slightly better than the 4.3% target announced in the 2024 Budget.<\><\>\>\> \>\> \> \>\> \>\> \>\> \>\> \> \>\>
Click allow to get notifications on every article we post.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Revolut seeks regulatory approval from Morocco's Central Bank
Revolut seeks regulatory approval from Morocco's Central Bank

Ya Biladi

time2 days ago

  • Ya Biladi

Revolut seeks regulatory approval from Morocco's Central Bank

Revolut is making its move in Morocco. After appointing a head of operations to lead its entry into the Moroccan banking sector, the British neobank has reportedly submitted a request for regulatory approval to Bank Al-Maghrib, Morocco's central bank. According to L'Economiste on Tuesday, Revolut «has undertaken all necessary steps, including submitting a request for regulatory approval to Bank Al-Maghrib», to secure its entry into the country and launch its activities. While awaiting a response from the Moroccan central bank, the fintech giant, which claims a global user base of 60 million, will continue its recruitment drive to support operations in Morocco. In July, Revolut appointed its first executive to lead its Moroccan operations: Amine Berrada, former operations director for Uber in Southern and Eastern Europe. He is tasked with steering Revolut's strategic direction and growth in Morocco. «I'm thrilled to contribute to launching and scaling its presence in Morocco (…) helping bring cutting-edge financial services to millions of Moroccans», he wrote on LinkedIn. This development confirms information reported by Yabiladi last April, which revealed Revolut's plans for a phased entry into Morocco, beginning as a payment operator with ambitions to obtain a full banking license within two years. Indeed, this latest move is not directly related to obtaining a full-fledged banking license in the country. If granted, this approval will give Revolut the green light to start operations in a limited financial services capacity under Moroccan law. Revolut, with a valuation exceeding €40 billion, offers a fully digital, smartphone-based experience, featuring quick account opening, fee-free international payments, multi-currency cards, trading, cryptocurrency services, and budgeting tools, appealing to a young, mobile, and connected clientele. Founded in July 2015 by British-Russian entrepreneur Nikolay Storonsky and British-Ukrainian software engineer Vlad Yatsenko, Revolut has grown into one of the most prominent players in global fintech.

Moroccan Household Debt Falls Slightly in 2024, Government Workers Most Indebted
Moroccan Household Debt Falls Slightly in 2024, Government Workers Most Indebted

Morocco World

time05-08-2025

  • Morocco World

Moroccan Household Debt Falls Slightly in 2024, Government Workers Most Indebted

Rabat — Moroccan households reduced their debt burden slightly in 2024, with the average debt-to-income ratio dropping to 34% from 35% a year earlier, according to the country's 2024 annual financial stability report. The report, published jointly by Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), the Insurance and Social Welfare Control Authority (ACAPS), and the Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC), analyzed data from credit institutions covering approximately 439,780 loan files granted during 2024. Government workers lead borrowing activity The composition of borrowers shifted significantly between professional categories. Private sector employees saw their share of total borrowers shrink from 42% in 2023 to 33% in 2024. Meanwhile, government workers increased their presence, rising from 24% to 28% of all borrowers. Retirees and self-employed professionals maintained stable shares at 19% and 9% respectively. Despite their growing numbers, government workers carry the heaviest debt burden, with an average debt-to-income ratio of 62%. High earners dominate lending market The report indicates that borrowers earning more than MAD 10.000 ($1000) per month accounted for 60% of the total loan amount granted in 2024. Paradoxically, this high-income group maintains the lowest debt ratio at 31%, suggesting they borrow more in absolute terms but remain within comfortable repayment limits. Meanwhile, the report found that the 30-40 age group represents 26% of all borrowers, while those over 60 account for 24%. However, people aged 50-60 carry the highest debt burden, with an average ratio of 39%. It also showed that a concerning 32% of individual borrowers carry debt payments exceeding 40% of their income in 2024. Among this heavily indebted group, 38% have debt ratios between 40% and 50%. Government workers and private employees make up the majority of those with excessive debt burdens, representing 68% of borrowers whose debt payments exceed 40% of their income. The slight improvement in overall debt levels offers modest relief, but the concentration of high debt ratios among certain professional groups and age brackets reveals ongoing financial stress for significant portions of Morocco's borrowing population. Tags: BAMcitzens debtsmorocco's household debt

Morocco Sees Drop in Check Payment Problems Despite Rising Credit Activity
Morocco Sees Drop in Check Payment Problems Despite Rising Credit Activity

Morocco World

time02-08-2025

  • Morocco World

Morocco Sees Drop in Check Payment Problems Despite Rising Credit Activity

Morocco's central bank, Barid Al Maghrib (BAM), reported fewer check payment issues in 2024, even as the country's credit market continued to grow steadily. The Central Payment Incidents Database recorded 487,613 payment incidents in 2024, down 4.7% from the previous year, according to Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM). The total value of these incidents also fell 4% to MAD 16.1 billion ($ 1.77 billion). However, people resolved more payment problems than before. The number of regularizations jumped 50.4% to 192,346 cases, while the total amount nearly doubled to MAD 5.4 billion ($ 594.288 million). BAM attributes this increase mainly to an amnesty program for people who wrote bad checks, which ran throughout 2024. Mixed results for different payment methods While check problems decreased, issues with Standardized Bills of Exchange rose 5.5% to 617,967 cases. People resolved 27,432 of these cases, slightly up from 27,149 in 2023. The Irregular Checks service monitored over 17.6 million bank account numbers that showed irregularities. Most of these problems came from 15.6 million closed accounts, followed by 2.1 million accounts with banking or judicial prohibitions, and 485,000 unavailable accounts. Banks also blocked 3.2 million checks due to stop-payment orders. When people checked their payments through this service, they found that 6.4% of checks had irregularities. Credit market shows steady growth Morocco's credit market expanded modestly in 2024. The number of active credit contracts rose 1% to 5.8 million. Banks provided 66% of these contracts, while microcredit associations handled 17%, financing companies managed 16%, and Islamic banks covered the remaining 1%. The total number of borrowers stayed stable at 3.2 million clients, with individual borrowers making up 95% of this figure. Amnesty program drives improvement The significant increase in payment problem resolutions reflects the success of Morocco's amnesty program for bad check writers. This program encouraged people to settle their outstanding payment issues, leading to a dramatic jump in regularizations and a doubling of resolved amounts. The overall trend suggests that while Morocco's financial system handled more credit activity, the quality of payment behavior improved thanks to both the amnesty program and better financial practices among consumers. Tags: BAMBank Al-MaghribCheck paymentCreditMoroccotax amnesty

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store