HIBAPRESS – Rabat
In the context of its follow-up of issues concerning small and medium-sized enterprises, the "HIBAPRESS" newspaper directed an official question to the management of Crédit Agricole du Maroc regarding the complaints received by the newspaper from a number of small and medium-sized enterprises, which indicate the existence of unjustified deductions of 100 dirhams monthly in exchange for the service of viewing the bank account via the internet, without prior notice or amendment to the contracts concluded with customers.
The complaints confirmed that this sudden measure prompted a large number of companies to cancel their subscription to the digital service, which deprived them of the ability to track their financial situation instantly, which the affected economic actors considered a violation of the principle of transparency and trust between the bank and its customers, especially in light of the directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, calling for the support of small and medium-sized enterprises as a basic lever for development and a major source of job opportunities, creativity and social stability. Based on this, the newspaper requested an official clarification from the bank's management to enlighten public opinion. In its response to the newspaper's correspondence, the management of Crédit Agricole du Maroc explained that the institution, like the rest of the national banks, provides a range of innovative digital banking services, directed at individuals and companies alike, with the aim of keeping pace with the development of their activities and enabling them to have modern and diverse financial solutions. The management confirmed that benefiting from these services remains entirely optional, and that all concerned customers were notified in advance of all the details of the service and its definitions, within the framework of transparency and respect for the rules and procedures in force. The answer added that the Bank-e Corporate service, which was launched in April 2023, was designed specifically for the benefit of companies to enable them to manage their bank accounts remotely in a secure and effective manner, and includes multiple advantages such as account management, execution of bank transfers, payment of invoices, tracking foreign commercial transactions, and management of electronic credit values. The bank indicated that customers benefited from a free offer during the first year of the service launch, before adopting a monthly fee of 100 dirhams excluding fees, clarifying that this fee remains within the low rates compared to some other banks that adopt higher definitions (up to 200 dirhams). Concerned customers were also notified two months before the fee came into effect, in accordance with the legal procedures in force. The institution highlighted that the Bank-e Corporate service witnessed a wide turnout, as the number of new subscriptions exceeded 5,000 companies during the year 2025. As for natural persons, professionals and owners of individual companies, the bank confirmed that the Bank-e service directed to them remains completely free, within the framework of the institution's keenness to enhance financial and digital inclusion. Despite the clarifications of the management of Crédit Agricole, it should be noted that there is no bank in Morocco that imposes additional fees specifically for the service of viewing the bank account via the internet, as this service is considered part of the basic banking package, which includes transfers, bank cards and various payment services, since the beginning of the opening of the Moroccan banking sector to digital services. Accordingly, Crédit Agricole is currently considered among the highest deducting banks compared to other banking institutions, in addition to the technical complications and problems that customers face in electronic services, which are topics that HIBAPRESS will address in detail in upcoming articles.
