E-commerce Progress in Maghreb Region

Significant e-commerce progress is made in the Maghreb region. In 2019, Tunisia ranked 4^th in Africa and 79^th globally in e-commerce development according to CNUCED. In 2021, it’s Algeria in 4^th place in Africa and 80^th in the world. As for Morocco, its online payments exploded by 61%, or in other words, an increase of 4.4 million transactions. 

While the Maghreb region was a step behind, nowadays we can see major catchup of e-commerce in its economy. Like elsewhere, the COVID-19 crisis hastened e-commerce development in the Maghreb region. It forced these countries to be more connected than ever before. In Algeria, the number of people with access to the internet increased by 16%. The main player Jumia grows fast and is now present in many African markets, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Senegal. Digitization brings high added value because it impacts productivity by automating ordering and logistical processes, saving time for other processes.

Product data in e-commerce

Another main player in the Maghreb region is Mantooj, a member of GS1 Algeria. Its catalog is currently available in three languages: Arabic, English, and French. But, the quality of product data, especially in the local language, is still poor. One step in this direction, for example, is the creation of the Algerian National Product File platform. To meet the main requirement for a good shopping experience: quality product data. Icecat offers support of Arabic, English, and French and provides millions of standardized product datasheets covering the local portfolios of global manufacturers. Icecat collaborates with GS1 in Fashion and Do It yourself, among others, and with other standardization bodies in other mainstream categories.