The verdict in three sentences
A distribution SME in Casablanca can take online card payments from its business customers through the CMI (Centre Monétique Interbancaire) at a modest entry cost: MAD 1,500 to 3,000 in onboarding fees and 1.5 to 2.5% per transaction as a 2026 order of magnitude. The real work lies elsewhere: the bank file, mandatory 3-D Secure, 3 to 6 weeks of activation and the website integration, billed at MAD 8,000 to 25,000 depending on the quality of the flow. Done well, online payment cuts collection time by several weeks on small and mid-sized invoices.
What CMI really costs an SME
The CMI remains the entry point for online card acceptance in Morocco: your bank signs the merchant agreement, and the CMI provides the payment gateway and 3-D Secure. Terms are negotiated with the bank, hence the wide ranges.
| Item (2026 order of magnitude) | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| CMI onboarding fee | MAD 1,500 to 3,000 | one-off, depends on the bank |
| Fee per Moroccan card transaction | 1.5 to 2.5% | negotiable above MAD 1M annual volume |
| Foreign card fee | 2.5 to 3.5% | if you serve customers outside Morocco |
| Possible monthly subscription | MAD 0 to 200 | depends on the bank contract |
| Activation time | 3 to 6 weeks | file, technical acceptance, go-live |
| Website integration | MAD 8,000 to 25,000 | standard module or custom B2B flow |
| Settlement to your account | D+1 to D+3 | depends on the bank |
For an SME collecting MAD 600,000 a month online, a 1.8% fee means MAD 10,800 monthly. Compare that with the cost of chasing, bounced cheques and days of delay on bank transfers.
The B2B flow: what changes compared with B2C
Business customers do not pay like consumers. They settle an existing invoice, sometimes partially, or pay a deposit on an order. Integration must start from the invoice, not from a basket.
| B2B need | Minimal integration (standard module) | B2B-ready integration |
|---|---|---|
| Pay a specific invoice | not supported, free amount | unique payment link per invoice |
| Partial payment or deposit | manual | amount pre-calculated from terms |
| Accounting reconciliation | CSV export to process | paid status updated automatically |
| 3-D Secure | raw redirect to the CMI page | branded page, clear return |
| Failed payment | customer lost | automatic reminder with a new link |
| Receipt and paid invoice | generic email | PDF with ICE number and invoice references |
| Indicative integration cost | MAD 8,000 to 12,000 | MAD 15,000 to 25,000 |
3-D Secure causes a share of payments to fail, especially on mobile when the OTP arrives late. An automatic reminder with a fresh link recovers many of those failures. If you are rebuilding your B2B customer area at the same time, Kolonell quotes the whole scope separately; for a real ordering application with accounts, negotiated prices and built-in payment, our custom application grid starts at 2,500,000 FCFA (EUR 3,810).
Steps from signing to first payment
Week 1: meeting with the bank, merchant agreement and file (trade register, ICE number, bank details, online terms of sale, legal notice). Weeks 2 and 3: test credentials, integration and testing on the CMI sandbox. Weeks 4 to 6: CMI approval, go-live, first real payment. Delays almost always come from an incomplete site: no terms of sale, no refund policy, no visible contact details. Prepare them in week one.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Hicham, managing director of a hygiene supplies distributor in Casablanca, invoices 320 business customers, including 180 small accounts paying at 45 days on average. Their average outstanding balance is MAD 1,100,000. After attaching a CMI payment link to each invoice, 40% of these small accounts pay within 10 days. Receivables fall by about 1,100,000 × 0.40 × (35 / 45), roughly MAD 342,000 of cash released. First-year cost: MAD 2,500 onboarding, MAD 18,000 integration and about 1.8% on MAD 2,400,000 collected online, i.e. MAD 43,200. Total: MAD 63,700, against MAD 342,000 of cash recovered and the chasing hours saved.
FAQ
Is 3-D Secure mandatory for an SME?
Yes, the CMI requires it for online payments. It reduces fraud and protects you in disputes, at the cost of a few percent of abandoned payments that automatic reminders help limit.
How long until we are live?
Allow 3 to 6 weeks from signing with the bank to the first real payment, provided the site already shows terms of sale, legal notice and a refund policy.
Is the 1.5 to 2.5% fee negotiable?
Yes, with your bank. Above roughly MAD 1M collected per year, SMEs often get the lower end of the range, as a 2026 order of magnitude.
Can customers pay an invoice without a basket?
Yes, with a unique payment link per invoice. It is the best fit for B2B and usually costs MAD 15,000 to 25,000 to integrate with automatic reconciliation.
Can Kolonell handle the integration?
Yes, quoted separately for integration alone. For a complete B2B ordering application, our custom application grid ranges from 2,500,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA depending on complexity.
Let's scope your project. We define with you the payment flow for your business customers, the CMI integration and the reconciliation with your invoicing. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
