Tunisia: BIAT reports robust growth with NBI of 385 million dinars at end March
The Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie (BIAT) confirms its strength at the start of 2025, posting controlled growth in its main business indicators at the end of the first quarter.
With a net banking income (NBI) of 385.1 million dinars, up 4.8% on the same period in 2024, the Bank remains on a positive course in a persistently difficult economic environment.
The NBI for the first quarter of 2025 is based on a balanced structure of several components. The interest margin, traditionally the mainstay of the banking business, amounted to 150.5 million dinars, representing 39% of NBI.
The commission margin amounted to 63.5 million dinars or 16.5% of the total, reflecting the continued dynamism of ancillary banking services.
A significant contribution was also made by income from the securities portfolio (commercial and investment) and financial operations, which reached 171.2 million dinars, or 44.5% of NBI.
This performance reflects the buoyancy of the financial markets and BIAT's prudent investment strategy.
On the cost side, the Bank recorded a significant increase in operating expenses, which reached 172.8 million dinars, up 16% on the first quarter of 2024. This had an impact on the cost/income ratio, which rose from 40.6% to 44.9% in one year.
However, this ratio remains within a comfort zone, although its increase indicates the need for greater vigilance in controlling costs in the future.
On the commercial front, BIAT continues to strengthen its position. Outstanding deposits amounted to 20,336 million dinars, an increase of 11.4%, supported in particular by a simultaneous increase of 11.2% in sight and savings deposits.
Net loans outstanding reached 12,839 million dinars, up 5.4%, confirming the bank's commitment to financing the Tunisian economy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
African Manager
23-05-2025
- African Manager
Tunisia: 1st edition of 'Africa Business Partnership Days' June 23-25 in Tunis
The Export Promotion Center (CEPEX) is organizing the first edition of Africa Business Partnership Days (ABPD 2025) from June 23 to 25, 2025, in Tunis, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad. Aligned with Tunisia's national strategy to boost trade with Sub-Saharan African countries, ABPD 2025 targets business leaders in key sectors, including agri-food industries, construction & building materials, services, healthcare (medical & paramedical products, medical supplies, etc.) and ICT. The program of the days, organized with the support of the 'Arab Africa Trade Bridges' program (funded by the ITFC) and the 'Qawafel' program (funded by the AFD), includes the organization of 1,000 business meetings for 100 Tunisian companies with over 25 buyers, importers and distributors. Institutional bodies (TPOs and CCI) from sub-Saharan African countries, including Uganda, the Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Gabon, Guinea and Burkina Faso, are expected to attend the event. Tunisian companies interested in participating in ABPD 2025 are invited to register via the following link by 2 June 2025: httpss://
African Manager
23-05-2025
- African Manager
Tunisia: Olive Oil exports rise while revenue falls by 28.9%
The Tunisian olive oil export receipts during the first six months of the 2024/25 campaign (November 2024 – April 2025) dropped by 28.9% to 2,442.4 million dinars (MD) compared to the same period of the previous campaign, according to data published on Wednesday by ONAGRI. Only 17.7% of revenue comes from exports of packaged olive oil. The average price of olive oil in April 2025 fell by 48.9% compared to the same month in the previous campaign, ranging from 7.1 to TND 18/kg depending on the category. The European market (EU) accounts for the largest share of exports, at 59.5%, followed by North America (24.9%) and Africa (9.6%). Quantities exported from the start of the campaign to the end of April 2025 reached 180.2 thousand tons, marking a 40.1% increase compared to the same period of the previous campaign. Packaged olive oil represented only 11.9% of the exported quantities, with the rest being exported in bulk (88.1%). The extra virgin category alone accounted for 82.5% of the total volume exported. Italy is the leading importer of Tunisian olive oil, accounting for 29% of exports during the first six months of the 2024/25 campaign. Spain and the United States follow with 26% and 19.6% respectively. Regarding organic olive oil, exports reached 34.3 thousand tons, valued at around 469.1 MD, by the end of April 2025. However, the proportion of packaged organic olive oil did not exceed 5% of the total exported organic olive oil. The average price of organic olive oil is TND 13.68/kg, ranging from TND 13.47/kg for bulk oil to TND 17.65/kg for packaged oil. Tunisian organic olive oil is mainly exported to Italy, accounting for 58% of exports, followed by Spain (21%) and the United States (11%).
African Manager
22-05-2025
- African Manager
Tunisia 82nd in Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025
The global organization StartupBlink has released its updated 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index, providing an in-depth analysis of startup ecosystems worldwide. The report evaluates over 1,400 cities and 100 countries, offering detailed national and city rankings alongside regional and sector-specific insights. Leveraging data from partners like Crunchbase, SEMRush, and BrightData, it serves as a critical resource for startups, policymakers, and investors making location-based decisions. The Tunisian ecosystem is ranked 82nd. With a score of 0.787, Tunisia is in the top 10 in Africa (7th), having gained eight places compared with the previous edition and representing annual growth of 15.3%. Within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Tunisia is ranked 14th; however, the report emphasizes that this progress is insufficient given the growing competition from other North African countries. In fact, Tunisia's growth remains the lowest in the region at under 15%, which restricts its ambitions in such a competitive regional context. Tunis, the capital, moved up 18 places to 327th in the world. This brings it closer to the top 300, with a local ecosystem growing steadily at over 22% per year. Sousse is ranked 1,233rd in the world. Overall, Tunisian startups raised around $15.2 million in 2024. Meanwhile, Egypt has confirmed its dominance in North Africa, with an ecosystem almost three times as powerful as Tunisia's. It ranks 65th worldwide and 7th in the MENA region, with Cairo leading the way and achieving a score far higher than Alexandria's. In 2024, Egypt is set to achieve its best regional ranking since 2021, with its start-ups having raised 281.6 million dollars. Second in North Africa behind Tunisia, Morocco ranked 88th in the world with a score of 0.687. In 2024, it attracted $176.9 million in funding. It should be noted that none of the other countries in the North African region feature in the ranking. North Africa recorded the lowest annual growth rate of the continent's major regions, at 15.7%. South Africa retains its leading position on the continent (52nd in the world), ahead of Kenya (58th), Egypt and Nigeria (65th), with Cape Verde (75th) closing the top five. The most powerful start-up ecosystems worldwide are found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada and Sweden. In terms of cities, San Francisco remains the world leader, closely followed by New York, London, Los Angeles and Beijing. These cities stand out for their entrepreneurial dynamism and appropriate infrastructure. In the Arab world, the United Arab Emirates dominates the rankings, occupying 21st place worldwide thanks to its favorable environment for startups, economic openness, and incentive policies.
