Tunisia Sees Africa as a Strategic and Untapped Market Opportunity

On May 26, 2026, Khmaies Mestiri, the Director General of Bilateral Relations with African Countries at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Africa represents a natural and strategic extension for Tunisia, offering a major yet largely underexploited economic opportunity.

In an interview with Express Fm, Mestiri emphasized that despite the benefits offered by agreements such as COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAf), Tunisia only utilizes a limited portion of its potential on the continent, both for its businesses and foreign investors seeking to access African markets through Tunisian territory.

According to him, Tunisia's membership in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) provides a significant competitive advantage, allowing investors established in Tunisia to access a vast African market through substantial customs and commercial facilitations.

Mestiri also noted that the "Africa Forward" economic forum, held for the first time in the Francophone African space, presented an important opportunity to attract European investors, particularly French ones, interested in expanding into Africa.

A Market with Huge Potential

The official recalled that the African continent boasts over 1.2 billion consumers and represents one of the world's largest markets in terms of economic and commercial potential.

Tunisian exports to Sub-Saharan Africa reached approximately 1.5 billion dinars in 2025, with a growth rate of 3.4%, surpassing that observed in other international markets.

However, Tunisia currently only exploits 22.7% of its commercial potential in Africa, leaving a significant margin for growth that could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in future trade.

Mestiri identified several highly competitive sectors for Tunisia, including electronics, metal products, textiles, clothing, healthcare services, education services, and technologies.

Challenges to Overcome

However, he highlighted that the main obstacle to Tunisia's expansion in Africa remains the lack of direct transportation links, particularly maritime ones, which reduces the competitiveness of Tunisian products compared to those of better-connected competitors.

The official also emphasized the issue of financing, estimating that it constitutes a major barrier for Tunisian businesses seeking to invest or win contracts in Africa. He called for the creation of Tunisian banking and financial structures on the continent to facilitate access to guarantees and financing.

Private Sector Involvement Crucial

In conclusion, Mestiri estimated that the success of Tunisia's African strategy cannot rely solely on the state, but requires increased private sector involvement, particularly in the areas of transportation, logistics, and financial services.

He called on Tunisian businesses to engage more actively in the African economic dynamic, considered a major growth lever for the years to come.