Three figures are enough to summarize the mindset of North African business leaders. 75% say they are confident in the prospects of their own company, but only 56% are confident in their national economy. And only 38% expect annual earnings growth of at least 2.5% over three years, compared with 58% across the continent. Confidence exists, but it has not yet translated into a promise of profitability.
For a Tunisian business leader, this gap is nothing of a statistical curiosity. It is a mirror. It suggests that the coming years will not be won on the ambition everyone displays, but on the ability to turn every dinar invested into measurable results.
These data come from the KPMG Africa CEO Outlook 2026, published in October 2026. This third African edition sits within a global survey conducted between August 11 and September 21, 2026, of 1,400 executives, including 176 Africans.
KPMG notes that regional results rely on small samples, for example 18 North African leaders for the portion devoted to artificial intelligence, and should be read as trends. The study does not isolate Tunisia, but it illuminates the region in which it operates.
Compliance becomes a prerequisite for investment
The report notes an unusual insistence by North African leaders on regulatory compliance and reporting. Its interpretation is that institutional preparation is treated as a prerequisite for investment and growth. It is therefore not a cost to bear, but an entry ticket.
Regional leaders draw managerial implications from this. Sixty-three percent place agility and speed of decision-making among essential leadership capabilities, compared with fifty percent on the continent. Thirty-one percent prioritize upskilling and AI readiness, versus 18% on the African average, i.e., 72% more. The message is clear: internal discipline comes before expansion.
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