The African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have unveiled a joint study offering a comprehensive overview of Tunisia's entrepreneurial ecosystem and outlining key levers to unlock the potential of the private sector--a critical driver of growth and job creation.
Financed by the United Kingdom Embassy, and developed in collaboration with the Tunisian government, the Tunisia Entrepreneurial Profile 2025 report highlights the strengths and the structural challenges of entrepreneurship in the country. It also presents actionable recommendations to guide public reforms and foster a more competitive and inclusive entrepreneurial environment.
"The Tunisia Entrepreneurial Profile 2025 provides Tunisian authorities with a unique dataset to inform policies supporting entrepreneurship and micro-enterprises," said Roderick Drummond, United Kingdom High Commissioner to Tunisia. "The insights offered by this type of survey are essential for shaping effective public policies in support of entrepreneurship and micro-enterprises."
Welcoming the study's release, Malinne Blomberg, African Development Bank Deputy Director General for North Africa and Country Manager for Tunisia, underscored the country's strong foundation of dynamic and resilient entrepreneurs. "Tunisia's entrepreneurial profile offers a solid evidence base to design tailored programmes capable of stimulating investment, enterprise creation and growth, employment, and economic inclusion," she said.
Richard Jones, Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean in EBRD's SME Finance and Development Group, noted, "This report reflects the complementarity between the EBRD and the African Development Bank in promoting an inclusive and competitive private sector in Tunisia. It is part of our joint commitment to creating an environment conducive to investment and sustainable entrepreneurship."
The study offers an integrated analysis combining economic data, field surveys and sectoral diagnostics to pinpoint the key drivers needed to boost entrepreneurial activity, encourage business creation, and support the growth and formalization of existing enterprises. It outlines priority actions, including enhancing access to finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), integrating them into local and regional value chains, promoting women's entrepreneurship, and expanding and modernizing support services for both emerging and established entrepreneurs.
