EBRD’s Women in Business Program mobilizes €30 million for Moroccan businesswomen over a decade

Morocco’s women entrepreneurs have accessed €30 million in financing and received comprehensive business support through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s decade-old Women in Business program,with 5,000 female business owners benefiting from the initiative over a decade.

The figures were disclosed during the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the program held in Casablanca on Wednesday.

The program’s impact extends beyond Morocco,mobilizing €1.8 billion across 23 countries and supporting 250,000 women entrepreneurs through advisory services,training,and networking opportunities. EBRD’s Morocco Director Haitham Issa highlighted the country’s vast potential for female entrepreneurship,noting that the program’s second phase,launched in 2024,distributed 4,000 loans through partner financial institutions,with nearly half reaching first-time borrowers.

The initiative specifically targets earthquake-affected regions and emphasizes digital automation,addressing critical gaps identified in a mid-2024 study by Swiss consultancy MF Strategy. The research revealed that while Morocco hosts an estimated 5.4 million women entrepreneurs,only 200,000 operate formally registered businesses,indicating 96 percent informality. Despite contributing approximately 20 percent to GDP,merely five percent of surveyed women entrepreneurs access formal credit.

EBRD’s approach combines credit lines to financial institutions for women-focused lending products with risk coverage and performance-based contributions. Technical assistance helps partners understand female-led businesses’ specific needs,developing tailored products and targeted marketing strategies. The program focuses on SMEs with fewer than 250 employees,annual turnover below €50 million,and balance sheets under €43 million.

European Commission Director General Gerald Audaz emphasized that Women in Business transcends principle declarations,providing tangible tools for economic participation. The program’s success relies on partnerships with over 80 financial institutions,demonstrating that women entrepreneurs represent reliable clients rather than risks,offering genuine market opportunities for inclusive financial growth.