🇹🇳TunisiaNorth Africa
Tunisian microfinance sector serves over 800,000 beneficiaries under strict oversight
via Business News4 min read
Mahmoud Montassar, Director General of the Microfinance Control Authority, discussed the Tunisian microfinance sector on April 27, 2026, highlighting its role in providing financial access to individuals excluded from traditional banking. The sector supports over 800,000 Tunisians, primarily through seven microfinance companies and nearly 200 associations. These associations are currently undergoing restructuring to integrate into the new legal framework. Financing limits are set at 10,000 dinars for associations and 40,000 dinars for companies, aimed at supporting income-generating activities, small trades, crafts, agriculture, and very small entrepreneurial initiatives. Montassar emphasized that microfinance is a complex industry requiring robust information systems, risk management tools, client monitoring, and field support. He illustrated this with the example of farmers or breeders, where institutions must provide guidance beyond just loans to ensure project success and repayment. To protect beneficiaries from over-indebtedness, the authority uses a dedicated risk center that allows institutions to check an applicant's financial situation before granting new credit, preventing uncontrolled debt accumulation and multiple loans. The Microfinance Control Authority supervises the sector through various means, including reviewing applications for specialized companies, preparing reports for competent authorities, issuing regulations, conducting controls, and protecting clien
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