(Ecofin Agency) - Maroc Telecom has published its 2018 financial report and it appears it performed better than its own expectations. The company realized a turnover of MAD 36.032 billion (3,773,404,960 US dollars), representing a 3.1% rise compared with 2017’s performances. Its net result rose by 2.3% on a year on year basis to reach MAD6.005 billion (628,865,918 US dollars).

Those performances were spurred by a 6.5% rise (within a year) of its customer base to  reach 61 million clients thanks to the mobile and fixed broadband segments in Morocco and other subsidiaries.

In Morocco, the incumbent operator and its 19.1 million clients generated a turnover of MAD 21.414 billion (2,242,553,669 US dollars) ; a year-on-year rise of 4.6%. The mobile data contributed to the rise with a 39.2% year-on-year growth.

Its international subscriber base rose from 34,967,000 to 37,926,000. Its international activities generated MAD16.041 billion (1,679,873,139 US dollar), a 2.0% year on year growth.

In view of those positive performances, the supervisory board of Maroc Telecom will suggest, during the shareholders’ general assembly on April 23, 2019, the distribution of MAD6.83 ordinary dividend per share, representing a 5.4% rise compared with that of 2017. This dividend will be paid starting from June 4, 2019.

For the new year, “digital transformation and innovation will be a larger part of our strategic priority,” Abdeslam Ahizoune (photo), chairman of the board of Maroc Telecom, declared.