Morocco is one of the most active markets for private equity in Africa, said Thursday the director of operations of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in neighboring countries of the European Union (EU). , Flavia Palanza.
“The EIB has been a private equity investor in Morocco since 1999 and has since committed €354 million (until December 2021) to 30 private equity funds, with 58 active investments in private companies for a total amount of 465.5 million euros (in December 2021),” said Ms. Palanza, who was speaking at the second meeting of the “Morocco 21” conference cycle, initiated by News Com Africa Holding (NCA Holding), devoted to the access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The role of non-banking financial institutions (crowdfunding, leasing, investment capital) in Morocco is intensifying, particularly for SMEs, noted Ms. Palanza, stressing that the authorities have set up a series of business support measures.
At the same time, digital financial services and financial education further strengthen financial inclusion and access to finance, she continued.
This conference, organized in partnership with Tamwilcom, a public financial guarantee and financing institution, was also an opportunity for Ms. Palanza to stress that most SMEs need small loans, emphasizing in this regard the importance of “intermediated loans”.
“Intermediated loans to SMEs and mid-cap companies (ETIs) represent a key area of activity for the EIB”, she said, noting that the Bank cooperates with a wide range of financial intermediaries who offer products intended for SMEs and micro-enterprises, and that these loans represent a third of EIB operations in Morocco.
The director of EIB operations in EU neighboring countries also noted that legal reforms to increase the maximum size allow microcredit organizations to also serve small businesses, saying that the EIB supports micro-entrepreneurs to maintain employment through several operations in microfinance.
The EIB offers expert solutions and financing dedicated to local banks, in particular through the Trade Competitiveness Program and broader access to financing, giving priority to the agriculture, textile and energy sectors. car, she said.
