Online transactions using domestic cards totaled 1.4 million dirhams in December, which represents a 43% increase over the course of 2020, said Wednesday CEO of Interbank Electronic Banking Center (CMI), Mikael Naciri. Speaking at a webinar organized by the Logistics and Energy Competitiveness Commission of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Naciri said that online transactions rose from 900,000 dirhams in January 2020 to 1.4 million dirhams in December 2020, a 43% increase. According to Naciri, online commerce is experiencing a good momentum in Morocco with a sustained growth in online payments. The year 2020 had started very well for online payment activity due to travel restrictions imposed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis and the introduction of new modes of purchase and consumption, he said. This trend is mainly driven by a stronger customer confidence in online purchasing and a sustained growth of online payments thanks to the widespread digitization of public services and the need to guarantee the continuity of certain activities. The trend has also been driven by an increase in the number of e-commerce websites, Naciri explained, adding that the number of e-commerce sites that have been active through Covid-19 restrictions has increased from 772 in January 2020 to 1,100 in December 2020.
