Electronic Payment: 3, 2, 1… Go!

The last pillar of the Interbank Electronic Banking Center’s (CMI) quasi-monopoly in electronic payments is currently being dismantled. After selling all its commercial contracts by January 31, 2026—representing a total of MAD 600 million paid by all electronic payment institutions—the Competition Council granted the historical operator a six-month deadline to dispose of the remaining contracts signed with administrations and public institutions. This ultimatum expires on Thursday, April 30. The deadline reflects the specific nature of this category of partners, which are subject to the provisions of Decree No. 2-22-431 on public procurement. This requires the selection of electronic payment institutions through a tender process to identify the most competitive bidder.
In recent months, it has been a race against time to meet the regulator’s deadline. “Administrations and public institutions have been issuing consultations at a rapid pace to quickly select their new payment partners,” said a source close to the matter.

Ongoing monitoring by the Competition Council

The CMI had appealed to the Competition Council to request a six-month extension of the deadline for the transfer of commercial contracts, including those concluded with public entities, citing the time required to obtain the necessary authorizations as well as Morocco’s organization of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. This led to the Council’s approval, made public on October 31, 2025.
In any case, according to our information, this deadline cannot be extended beyond April 30. To ensure that the CMI’s commitments become effective and irreversible by the agreed date, the Competition Council has attached a daily penalty of MAD 50,000 to the six-month extension in case of non-compliance with the new deadline. This financial constraint would apply even if only a single merchant contract remained with the CMI. Continuous monitoring will also be carried out by the Competition Council.
It should be noted that contracts concluded with administrations and public institutions are not sold and do not involve any financial compensation, unlike other commercial contracts such as those signed with large retail chains. “This time, the transfer is entirely free for electronic payment institutions,” noted a professional.
It is also worth mentioning that the General Tax Directorate (DGI) and the General Treasury of the Kingdom (TGR) were the first administrations to launch public consultations and announce their decisions. They selected Damane Cash, a subsidiary of Bank of Africa. Other public institutions are currently conducting their processes to select a new electronic payment provider by the end of April. With the divestment of commercial contracts concluded with administrations and public institutions within the required timeframe, the CMI will focus on its new missions, notably technical processing services for all companies specializing in electronic payments. A chapter spanning nearly a quarter of a century is now definitively coming to a close.
Hassan EL ARIF