The debate over the transformation of the National Post Office into a commercial bank has resurfaced in recent days, as the Finance and Budget Commission of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People (ARP) resumed examination of the bill.
This issue holds paramount importance given its economic and social repercussions, with The Tunisian Post being a vital public service, particularly in achieving the objective of combating financial exclusion.
The Proposal and the Project
A group of deputies submitted, on July 8, 2025, a bill concerning the creation of the Postal Bank, after failing to push this point through during the discussions on Bill No. 23 of 2024 presented by the government on March 6, 2024, relating to the fight against financial exclusion.
The Commission had at that time refused to validate the entire law and did not transmit it to the plenary session because of a disagreement with the government on this specific point. The deputies argue that transforming the Post into a bank would broaden financial services to marginalized categories and isolated rural areas, integrating them into the credit and financing cycle.
They rely on experiences similar to abroad (France, some African and Asian countries) and assert that the Postal Bank will complement the role of public banks without competing with them, thus ensuring social justice and equality in the financial sector.
A National Asset
The Tunisian Post, whose creation dates back to 1847, is a national asset. It is an institution that plays a major economic and social role. This public service boasts an extensive network of over 1,000 offices covering all cities and villages, offering postal services (letters, parcels) and financial services (about 4 million savings accounts and 2 million current accounts), in addition to money orders, currency exchange, and a developed digital services application.
The Post primarily serves the working classes by ensuring the payment of salaries to civil servants and employees, pensions for retirees, and allowances for needy families.
It has managed to offer services comparable, or even superior, to banking services thanks to affordable rates, quality, and proximity. The only missing service is credit, which could be provided by the three existing public banks.
More importantly, the funds deposited and profits earned are transferred to the public treasury, managed by the Ministry of Finance, which allocates an annual budget to the National Post Office (management, staff, development). In addition, the Treasury’s current account and special funds are all held with The Tunisian Post.
The Tunisian Post’s Contribution to Investment
