MIQYES: Tunisian SMEs remain resilient despite difficult environment
This demonstrates resilience in a challenging international and national context, as highlighted by economist Abdelkader Boudriga, who presented the barometer.
The survey, conducted on a sample of 502 SMEs across various sectors, revealed that 31.1% of them saw a decline in revenue compared to 43.9% in 2022, despite a slowdown in growth in 2023.
SMEs invested more in maintaining their operations (36.7%), with less than one in five SMEs investing in new activities during 2023.
Looking ahead, only one in two SMEs plans to venture into new activities. Additionally, 71.2% of women-led SMEs (representing 12.2% of SMEs) reported profits in 2023. The survey also found that Tunisian SMEs are predominantly local (69%), with only 12% engaged in exporting.
The European Union is the primary export destination for SMEs (57%), followed by North Africa (20%). Export-oriented SMEs are mainly located in coastal regions. However, the conquest of new markets declined in 2023, reaching its lowest level since 2016.
The growth momentum of SME activities is primarily driven by the private sector, with limited dynamism in public markets due to the country's macroeconomic and financial challenges, as well as the public buyer's cost-control policies. In this context, 23.9% of SMEs secured new government contracts, while 59.1% obtained new private contracts.
Persistent challenges in accessing financing
The majority of Tunisian SMEs continue to find access to financing difficult, with the exception of leasing, which remains the most accessible funding source for 55.4% of SMEs. SMEs in inland regions, particularly in the North/Central West, face the most financial constraints.
Notably, 48.6% of Tunisian SMEs have self-excluded from seeking financing (no funding requests) due to a history of bank loan rejections and the stringent requirements of bank financing compared to leasing.
Creation of 27,000 Net Jobs in 2023
Regarding recruitment, 54.4% of SMEs hired in 2023, creating approximately 27,000 net jobs. However, the hiring momentum slowed compared to 2022 and the pre-COVID period.
On another note, 36.1% of companies have at least one environmental or corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. However, this commitment is hindered by a lack of financial resources and insufficient government support.
According to the MIQYES Barometer, despite a difficult national and international context, 60% of SMEs remain optimistic about the country's economic situation. It is worth noting that entrepreneurship in Tunisia remains largely a family affair, with 73.4% of SMEs being family-owned.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
African Manager
2 days ago
- African Manager
Tunisia banks on African economic cooperation to open new markets
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Nafti, reaffirmed Tunisia's commitment to supporting economic opportunities abroad and assisting Tunisian businesspeople, during a reception organized by the Tunisia-Africa Business Council (TABC) in honor of the heads of Tunisia's diplomatic missions abroad. He stressed the need for an innovative approach to strengthen African economic cooperation, leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). He highlighted the importance of promoting Tunisian investments, tourism, and exports, stating that this effort requires effective tools to support the national economy and open new markets. TABC President Anis Jaziri praised the continued support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tunisian diplomatic missions, particularly their contribution to organizing the annual 'Financing Investment & Trade in Africa' (FITA) conference. The event featured the presentation of the 'Tunisian Consortium for African Development' (TUCAD), an initiative bringing together several Tunisian institutions specializing in infrastructure, energy, and transport. This consortium aims to access African markets through an action program coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its diplomatic missions. Trade exchanges remain weak Although Tunisian exports to the African market, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa, remain low in volume due to a structural orientation toward the European Union, 'Made in Tunisia' is nonetheless starting to gain a foothold in several countries on the continent. Despite persistent logistical obstacles—the true Achilles' heel of Tunisian trade, the State has shown a clear determination to diversify its export outlets, with a strategic focus on Sub-Saharan markets. Tunisia's accession to the COMESA free trade area in 2018, followed by its accession to the AfCFTA, is part of this dynamic. While the results remain modest for now, COMESA membership has started to show signs of a shift toward East Africa, a region still largely unexplored by Tunisian operators. In 2024, trade between Tunisia and Sub-Saharan Africa reached 1.6 million dinars, according to Mourad Ben Hassine, CEO of the Export Promotion Center (CEPEX). Trade between Tunisia and Sub-Saharan African countries generates a trade surplus for Tunisia, with export revenues amounting to about 1.3 million dinars, he added, while presenting the first edition of the 'Africa Business Partnership Days' (ABPD 2025), an event aimed at developing partnerships between Tunisia and Sub-Saharan African countries.
African Manager
5 days ago
- African Manager
Tunisia: IACE launches survey on draft of foreign exchange code
Tunisian economic actors to gather their opinions and recommendations on the draft of the new foreign exchange code, which remains pending adoption despite repeated promises from successive governments. This initiative is part of the ongoing dialogue surrounding this draft, which was developed under previous governments but never finalized. The survey aims to assess the difficulties faced by businesses under the current regulations and to propose improvements to the new text, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT). It also seeks to preserve the gains of the existing code while introducing more flexible mechanisms, in line with the demands of the business community. The last government meeting on this project dates back to February 26, 2024, under former Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani. Since then, businesses and professional organizations have been calling for a reform of the code to adapt it to the developments of local and international financial markets, notably through the introduction of modern financial services. The survey, made up of about 25 questions, focuses on the obstacles presented by the current foreign exchange code, whose first version dates back to the 1970s and has only undergone partial amendments since.
African Manager
5 days ago
- African Manager
Tunisia's exports to India are booming!
India can become an important economic partner for Tunisia, especially during this delicate phase the country is going through. India is a country that has managed to achieve rapid and remarkable economic development, particularly in the fields of industry, finance, and high technology. (…) Its development model is based on the value and quality of its human resources, scientific research, hard work, and perseverance. In light of these economic performances, the Export Promotion Center (CEPEX) revealed that untapped export opportunities to the Indian market amount to approximately 214 million US dollars, although trade between Tunisia and India reached around 800 million dollars, or about 2.4 billion dinars last year. These opportunities, according to a recent meeting between CEPEX CEO Mourad Ben Hassine and the Ambassador of India to Tunisia, Shri Ngulkham Jathom, require strengthening the partnership in high value-added sectors. The fields of cooperation between the two countries include the chemical and fertilizer industries, given the presence of phosphoric acid in Skhira, as well as the pharmaceutical industries, renewable energies, electrical and electronic industries, and agricultural products. Tunisian exports to India have improved significantly, with olive oil exports growing by 250% and dates by 56%, reflecting the growing momentum of Tunisian products on the Indian market, according to CEPEX. As for Tunisia's imports from India, they notably include cars and spare parts, valued at 356 million dinars (representing 18% of total imports). Pharmaceutical imports, in turn, have increased significantly, with a rise of 637%, in addition to imports of tea, frozen fish, agricultural tractors, textiles, and petrochemical products, reflecting the diversity and growing openness of the Tunisian market to Indian supply. India, Tunisia's 9th trade partner According to 2024 figures, India is Tunisia's 9th trading partner in terms of import volume and the 16th in terms of exports. According to CEPEX, there are promising prospects to further develop trade and broaden areas of partnership in several vital and strategic sectors. The Indian Ambassador to Tunisia reaffirmed her country's commitment to continuing the strengthening of economic cooperation with Tunisia. She emphasized the importance of activating cooperation between CEPEX and its Indian counterpart, by intensifying the exchange of visits and economic missions, and organizing bilateral business forums to strengthen sectoral partnerships. During the meeting held at the Exporter's House, both parties discussed the importance of activating previous agreements, particularly the memorandum of understanding signed between CEPEX and its Indian counterpart in 2017, which constitutes a legal framework for institutional cooperation. The two sides also discussed a proposal to organize a remote forum in the presence of relevant bodies to further discuss ways to strengthen economic cooperation in promising sectors, as part of current preparations to hold meetings of the Joint Commission aimed at overcoming customs and tax-related obstacles. It is worth noting that Tunisia imports various products from India, such as tea, mechanical products, pharmaceutical products, rice, tobacco, textile products, and cotton yarn, while phosphoric acid remains the main Tunisian product exported to India.
