Bank lending to Tunisian businesses rises in first half of 2026

Bank financing for Tunisian businesses accelerated during the first half of 2026, with credit to professionals increasing by 2.199 billion dinars, up from a 1.275 billion-dinar rise during the same period in 2025.

The services sector led the increase, receiving 1.684 billion dinars in additional financing, compared with 1.272 billion dinars a year earlier. Industrial financing rose by 414 million dinars, reversing a 64 million-dinar decline in the first half of 2025. Financing for agriculture and fisheries increased by 101 million dinars, compared with a 67 million-dinar rise in the same period last year.

The trend was weaker for individuals. Financing to private borrowers increased by only 108 million dinars in the first half of 2026, compared with growth of 276 million dinars a year earlier.

The Central Bank of Tunisia’s economic briefing also put net claims on the central administration at about 69.209 billion dinars at the end of June. They rose by 4.382 billion dinars, a slower increase than the 5.836 billion-dinar rise recorded at the end of the first half of 2025.

The slower expansion reflected a reduced pace of facilities extended to the state to support the budget. Those facilities increased by 2.700 billion dinars, compared with 3.650 billion dinars in June 2025. Banks’ holdings of Treasury bills also grew more slowly, while the Treasury’s current account fell by 29 million dinars instead of rising by 1.362 billion dinars a year earlier.

Treasury bill issues reached 5.454 billion dinars in the first half of 2026, against 3.368 billion dinars in repayments, producing net subscriptions of 2.086 billion dinars. Claims on the economy rose 3%, or 3.735 billion dinars, compared with 1.3%, or 1.490 billion dinars, in the first half of 2025. The increase included faster growth in banks’ securities portfolios.