Accelerating the creation of community-based enterprises is no longer enough: the challenge now is to support them until they actually start their activity.
This is the main challenge that emerges from the restricted ministerial council held Saturday, October 10, 2026 in the Kasbah, under the presidency of the prime minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri. Simplification of procedures, financing, training, new sectors and a project bank are among the orientations adopted.
The question is all the more important as the publicly available data show several distinct steps: 791 initiatives registered in the national register in figures presented to Parliament in July 2026, 75 enterprises financed by the end of March 2026, and, in an earlier government balance sheet from November 2025, 60 enterprises actually in operation.
The Essentials
- October 10, 2026 : the government recommends improving governance and support for community-based enterprises.
- 791 initiatives : figure presented at a parliamentary hearing on July 8, 2026.
- 75 funded enterprises : balance sheet as of end-March 2026; the ministerial council does not provide a new total.
- 95 million dinars : funding envelope announced under the 2023–2026 finance laws, including an additional 35 million planned in 2026.
- New orientation : targeting value-added sectors, tailored training and a project bank for the 2026–2030 period.
Four directions to accelerate community-based enterprises
Meeting at the government palace in the Kasbah, the ministerial council examined the operation of community-based enterprises, their administrative difficulties and the means to facilitate their development. The Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Riadh Chaoued, and the Secretary of State for community-based enterprises, Hassna Jiballah, presented a bilan of the actions undertaken, notably simplification, harmonization and digitization of procedures through the national register.
According to the Presidency of the Government communiqué, four recommendations structure the approach:
- Direct projects toward new sectors and markets presenting added value and strategic importance, in line with the Development Plan 2026–2030.
- Strengthen support at every stage, from project preparation to its exploitation, instead of limiting help to incorporation formalities.
- Adapt training to the actual technical needs of the enterprises and measure their effects on performance.
- Establish a bank of documented projects, integrated into the value chains of the selected sectors, to guide promoters toward activities likely to generate sustainable revenues.
The head of government also called ministries, public institutions and governorates to remove the obstacles encountered at central, regional and local levels. She presented these enterprises as a tool for job creation and for valorizating regional resources, particularly for young people, in line with the orientations defended by President Kaïs Saïed.
791 initiatives registered
During a hearing of representatives from the Ministry of Employment before the Commission on Services and Social Development of the National Council of Regions and Districts, on July 8, 2026, the administration announced 791 initiatives registered in the national register. It also indicated that 75 enterprises had received financing by the end of March 2026.
Participants in community-based enterprises were estimated at around 16,000 people, including 11,000 men and 5,000 women. Among them would be 2,300 higher-education graduates and more than 160 people with disabilities, according to the data presented at this hearing.
An official balance published at the launch of the digital registry in November 2025 reported 230 enterprises created, of which 60 entered into active operation, for 380 jobs declared created. This latter figure is a historical reference, not an updated estimate as of October 2026.
Understanding the figures
Initiative registered : project registered in the administrative circuit, not necessarily a legally constituted company.
Funded enterprise : entity that has obtained funding according to the counting scope used by the administration.
Enterprise in operation : business that has actually started operating. The jobs announced must also be distinguished from the number of participants in the capital.
During the July parliamentary hearing, elected representatives raised difficulties in processing applications, notably respecting the chronological order of registrations, the funding cap and the heaviness of certain procedures.
These questions illuminate the emphasis of the October ministerial council on governance, simplification and support.
95 million dinars planned: which financing actually reaches the projects?
The financial aspect is central. According to information provided by the Ministry of Employment to Parliament and relayed in March 2026, the mechanisms provided by the laws of finances from 2023 to 2026 represent an announced envelope of 95 million dinars to support community-based enterprises.
Article 24 of the 2026 Finance Law expressly provides 35 million dinars additional coming from the National Employment Fund and extends the mechanism to December 31, 2027. Conventions with public and private banks were also mentioned to facilitate financing on preferential terms.
But it is essential to distinguish budgeted credits, approved financings and amounts actually disbursed. The overall envelope announced does not mean that the 95 million dinars have already been paid to the enterprises.
How does a community-based enterprise work in Tunisia?
The scheme originates from Decree-Law No. 2022-15 of March 20, 2022, amended by Decree-Law No. 2025-3 of October 2, 2025. It rests on a collective economic initiative linked to local or regional development, with participation and governance rules distinct from those of a traditional commercial company.
After the 2025 reform, a local community enterprise brings together at least 10 participants residing in the same delegation, with a minimum capital of 5,000 dinars. A regional enterprise brings together at least 15 participants from several delegations within the same governorate, with a minimum capital of 10,000 dinars.
The revised framework notably provides ten-year tax advantages, under applicable legal conditions, a VAT exemption for certain purchases related to the activity, preferential financing mechanisms and possibilities of access to public land. These advantages do not exempt the enterprises from administrative, accounting and reporting obligations.
The national register, presented by the ministry in November 2025 under the address alahlia.tn, aims to centralize information and simplify procedures. The digitization goal, however, is also to shorten the delays between registration, legal incorporation, obtaining any necessary authorizations, financing and operation.
The new priority: viable projects rather than paper creations
One notable development of the October 10 meeting lies in the emphasis on value chains and markets. A community-based enterprise cannot sustainably generate revenues without a customer base, supply, managerial skills and commercial outlets.
The proposed project bank mentioned by the council could help initiative promoters identify structured activities, rather than starting from a mere general idea. The usefulness of this tool will depend, however, on the quality of economic studies, identified local needs and the real possibilities of commercialization.
The announced support will also have to address accounting, collective governance, management of conflicts among participants, cash flow, commercialization and monitoring of results. The Presidency of the Government specifically asks that the impact of trainings be measurable, which implies indicators beyond the number of sessions organized.
