Digital Female Entrepreneurship in Tunisia Sees 35% Growth in Five Years
Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy Fatma Thabet Chiboub announced on Tuesday in Tunis that "digital female entrepreneurship in Tunisia has progressed by 35% in five years. 40% of startups created since 2020 have a female co-founder." The minister, who was speaking at the opening of the International Council of Women Entrepreneurs (CIFE) Congress, held from November 18 to 20, 2025, believes that "when women advance, the entire society progresses, the economy strengthens, and the horizon expands." Addressing a predominantly female Mediterranean audience, the minister highlighted that "my country is the first in the Mediterranean and the Arab world to have made equality a structuring axis of economic and industrial modernization. 60% of university graduates are women. 72% of graduates in engineering in certain industrial technological fields are women. 25% of Tunisian companies are run by women, which is above the regional average (16%)."
She added: "Regarding industry, 42% of the manufacturing workforce in several strategic sectors are women. 500 industrial companies are run by women. More than 30% of executives in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices, and technical textiles sectors are women." The energy transition is also a sector where Tunisian women play a driving role. According to the minister, "30% of new renewable energy engineers are women. Many project leaders in solar energy in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe are Tunisian women." "Success stories are already emerging in future sectors such as robotics, smart materials, digital engineering, and advanced pharmaceutical industries, demonstrating the ability of Tunisian women to drive the country's technological and industrial transformation." According to Chiboub, "the challenge behind mobilizing female potential is not only social, but also strategic. It's a matter of industrial, energy, and technological sovereignty. A strong economy mobilizes all its talents, and in Tunisia, female talents are a national wealth."
On her part, CIFE President Rachida Jebnoun stated that "this congress is not just a conference; it's a commitment to action. We are bringing together the region's key players to move from observation to concrete solutions. Adopting a common roadmap will be a decisive milestone in building more inclusive governance in the region." According to her, this congress confirms Tunisia's willingness to assume a catalyzing role for sustainable and inclusive female leadership. The congress's work will lay the groundwork for concrete partnerships, structural initiatives, and economic integration strategies that will have an impact on the entire Mediterranean region.
Organized in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) under the theme "Female Leadership and Economic Integration: Strategic Synergies between Tunisia and the Mediterranean," the CIFE Congress brings together high-level decision-makers, ambassadors, private sector leaders, academics, and representatives of regional and international organizations. Its objective is to develop a common roadmap to strengthen the presence of women in positions of responsibility and support economic integration in the Mediterranean region.
