Mohamed El Kettani, CEO of Moroccan group Attijariwafa Bank, believes that it is absolutely “necessary to revive the demand for credit” in the Moroccan economy. To reach this goal, the group has adopted proximity policy. “Our banking branches are reaching out to markets to revive the demand for credit. Every day, about 10 cities are combed through by our caravans”.

The other strategy of Attijariwafa is to attract small and medium enterprises. According to information reported by the Moroccan magazine Challenge, the group indicated having set aside an envelope of 5 billion dirhams, to finance a total of 20,000 SME in 2015. “We give immediate answers on credit applications particularly for SME-SOHO” the CEO informed.

The bank is also planning to continue its African expansion. In this respect, it announced the opening of new branches in Benin, Chad as well as Cameroon, where it already has shares in the Société Camerounaise de Banques. During the first half 2015, the net consolidated profit of the group reached 2.3 billion dirhams, an increase of 2.2%.

Attijariwafa Bank has a liquidity margin which appears adequate. For the period of reference, it appears that its outstanding loans to other credit companies is at a consolidated level of 35.3 billion dirhams, a decrease from 41 billion dirhams as at 31^st December 2012. In the same period, the group has seen the decrease of the debt securities issued at 12.2 billion dirhams, against 14.2 billion dirhams in 2013.