The deficit of Tunisia’s energy trade balance widened markedly during the first half of 2026, reaching 7 billion dinars at end-June, compared with 5.175 billion dinars during the same period in 2025, a rise of 35 %, according to data from the National Observatory of Energy and Mines.
This deterioration occurs despite a marked increase in the value of energy exports.
Exports rise by 38 %
To the end of June 2026, the value of exports of the energy sector rose by 38 % compared with the first six months of 2025.
At the same time, the value of imports rose by 36 %, maintaining strong pressure on the energy trade balance.
The rate of coverage of imports by exports thus did not exceed 18 %, reflecting the country’s heavy dependence on external energy supplies.
National energy resources fall by 8 %
The widening deficit also occurs in a context of declining national energy resources.
The national resources in primary energy fell by 8 %, to stand at 1.615 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) at end-June 2026.
Conversely, overall demand for primary energy rose by 3 %, reaching 4.744 million toe in the same period.
7 % increase in demand for petroleum products
During the first six months of 2026, demand for petroleum products rose by 7 %.
By contrast, consumption of natural gas declined by 2 %.
These trends confirm the persistence of tensions in the country’s energy balances, in a context marked by both rising domestic needs and the decline of local hydrocarbon resources.
