In a context of dwindling external funding and increased pressure on internal resources, Tunisia finds itself at a turning point in its economic development.
Financial inclusion, still limited, remains a major constraint on mobilizing national savings and dynamizing investment. Yet the rise of digital technologies opens an unprecedented window of opportunity to accelerate access to financial services and transform economic circuits.
By leveraging the widespread diffusion of mobile technology and the emergence of fintechs, the country can envision a qualitative leap toward a finance that is more accessible, more transparent, and more efficient.
It is in this context that a note entitled “Tunisia Digitale 2030: Towards Universal Financial Inclusion,” published by the Association of Tunisian Economists, reveals that this strategic shift goes beyond mere technical modernization: it is a lever of economic and social transformation capable of redefining growth balances.
Mobile money, a proven lever in Africa
The African experience shows that digitalisation can accelerate financial inclusion in a spectacular fashion. Sub-Saharan Africa now accounts for more than 1.1 billion mobile money accounts, with transaction volumes exceeding 1.7 trillion dollars in 2024. These services have enabled millions of people to integrate into the financial system without relying on traditional banking infrastructures.
The success rests on simple, accessible uses: money transfers, bill payments, purchases, or savings. Beyond the technological aspect, these solutions create a real economic safety net, facilitating mutual aid among households in the event of income shocks and reducing social vulnerability.
The macroeconomic effects are also significant. In countries where mobile money is widely adopted, the impact can reach several percentage points of GDP, provided that its uses are sufficiently diffused and integrated into daily economic life.
A transition still slow but underway
In Tunisia, financial digitalisation is progressing, but remains at a nascent stage. In 2024, the country counted 368,595 active mobile wallets, with 5.1 million transactions representing 1.394 billion dinars, up 21.4% year-on-year. Meanwhile, electronic payments overall reached 27.9 billion dinars, up 10.6%.
