Rabat – Coastal cities stretching between Tangier and El Jadida saw the largest growth in the number of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in 2020.
According to a recent report from the Moroccan Observatory for SMEs (OMTPME), the four regions alongside Morocco’s Atlantic coast accounted for 65% of the newly created SMEs in Morocco as of 2020.
The Casablanca-Settat region came on top of the list with 39% of all created SMEs, noting a 0.4% decrease from the previous year.
The Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region came in second, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima third holding 15% and 12% respectively, the OMTPME data suggests.
The report further reveals that by sector, growth in the number of SMEs remained largely stable with the exception of transport and storage companies growing 0.7% faster than the previous year.
Other sectors that saw year-on-year growth in companies include construction, with 0.3%, “specialized scientific and technical activities,” with 0.3%, and real estate activities.
Noting the profitability of SMEs, the report explains that microenterprises with a turnover between 0 and MAD 1 million ($90,770) represented 79% of the total number of companies, an 8% year-on-year increase.
Companies with a turnover ranging between MAD 1 million ($90,770) and MAD 3 million ($272,330) represented 10% of all SMEs in 2020, a 5% annual drop, the report specifies.
Regarding medium and large-sized companies, the observatory details that they have grown by 0.9% and 0.4% respectively, adding that 20,560 companies, measured by their turnover, have changed size.
The observatory data shows that 200 large enterprises became SMEs, 3,880 SMEs became Very Small Enterprises (VSEs) or micro-enterprises, and 6,680 VSEs became micro-enterprises.
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