More than 500,000 Moroccan shops will be able to sell their products online through the platform

‘Ma Local’: el nuevo espacio de compras online de Local Africa Group

photo_camera PHOTO/ARCHIVE - Local Africa Group has launched its digital shopping centre "Ma Local", through which it intends to enable more than 500,000 Moroccan shops to sell their products online through this commercial space

Local Africa Group has launched its digital shopping mall 'Ma Local' which will allow more than 500,000 Moroccan shops to sell their products online. This project is a commercial space that will immerse shops in the world of digitalisation without the need to invest in a website.  

The startup explained in a statement that they will not need "a logistics platform, nor will they need to look for marketing channels, nor a suitable performance platform". It added that "the group does not sell or stock goods, but rather provides comprehensive support to Moroccan sellers".  

The shops will now be able to access pick-up, delivery and marketing services while remaining a physical shop. In addition, they will be able to provide a range of performance facilities suitable for all customer segments.  

Local Africa Group launched in 2018 after founder, Al-Mahdi al-Iraqi decided to return from the US to establish his new business. Since then, the startup has found a suitable environment in Morocco to carry out its project.

At the same time, annual development of the platform is planned and the founder is focusing on entering the African market by taking advantage of the growing reliance on digitalisation and e-commerce.  

Al-Mahdi al-Iraqi stressed that "this step is just the beginning, and a local team is ready today, distributing thousands of products in more than 150 Moroccan cities". 

Mahali continúa en el campo de la digitalización, estimulando a emprendedores y empresas marroquíes a invertir en el ámbito digital

This company benefits from many funding programmes, including the partnership that brings together BCP and the startup incubator H7 to support and nurture innovative startups. They also contribute to support programmes, in particular those affiliated to the Central Guarantee Fund and small and medium-sized enterprises in Morocco.  

The amounts insured will not be disclosed, the statement reports, but the platform's founder states that "belts must be tied". They also add that the matter is related to more than one startup, but a real model for Moroccan entrepreneurs aspiring to launch in Morocco and Africa in general. 

Morocco has been betting on the great prospects of e-commerce for years since it launched the 'Made in Morocco' site to project itself in this sector. The National Federation of E-Commerce launched this website on 2 January 2015 in eight languages to showcase the country's products. This makes it the largest e-commerce site and the first of its kind in Africa. 

It allows the promotion of more than 4,000 products, including food and cosmetics from inside and outside Morocco. It ensures the professional distribution of more than 90,000 books published in Morocco, as well as Moroccan newspapers and magazines.  

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