Banque Populaire has opened a new centre in Tangier to assist very small businesses get easier access to advice, training and funding.
The new “Ibn Batouta” centre is the bank’s second Al Moukawil Chaabi hub, after the first one opened in Marrakech. It is aimed at small shop owners, artisans and very small companies that often struggle to get bank support.
The centre works as a one-stop shop, where entrepreneurs can get help with business planning, guidance, and financing in the same place. It is run by Fondation Création d’Entreprises, a Banque Populaire unit that has been supporting business creation for 35 years.
Instead of just giving loans, the team also helps people prepare properly before applying for funding, including building business plans and understanding how the market works.
Very small businesses, known as TPEs, are firms with less than 3 million dirhams in yearly turnover. They make up a big part of Morocco’s economy, but many find it difficult to access bank credit because they often lack formal paperwork or structured plans.
The opening comes as Banque Populaire celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026 and continues its long-term plan to modernise services and improve access to finance. The bank says it wants to act more like a partner for small businesses, not just a lender.
The new centre is based in the Tangier region, an important industrial and logistics hub. The idea is to help local small suppliers benefit from large investment projects in the area.
The launch also fits into wider national efforts to support small businesses. A new startup support programme by Tamwilcom is offering funding and mentoring for hundreds of young companies, while the World Bank has approved new funding to improve access to credit for small firms.
At the same time, GITEX Africa in Marrakech highlighted new security systems being introduced by Banque Populaire to make online banking safer for business customers.
The bank’s payment services arm has also been recognised at the APIDE Awards 2026 for tools designed to make everyday transactions easier for merchants, and these services are expected to be used in the new centres.
