The Banking Executive Magazine - February 2026 Issue 2

Outstanding Personal Bank Loans Outstanding Personal Bank Loans HIT $10.6BLN AT END 2025 AMID LOWER HOUSING LOANS The outstanding non-professional bank loans directed to individuals in Tunisia amounted to TND 30.464 billion at the end of Decem- ber 2025, compared to TND 30.022 billion at the end of Decem- ber 2024, posting an increase of TND 442 million, according to data published by the Central Bank of Tunisia. Commenting on the overall indica- tors of outstanding non-professional loans to natural persons, financial analyst Bassem Ennaifer told TAP news agency that the volume of bank loans granted to individuals remained generally stable at the end of December 2025. He pointed out that the most no- table issue concerns housing loans, which make up the largest portion of total non-professional loans. These amounted to TND 13.325 billion at the end of December 2025, compared to TND 13.523 billion at the end of December 2024. Ennaifer oted that, considering the net evolution of loan volumes (re- payments and new loans), housing loans recorded negative growth for the first time since 2011, declining by TND 197.6 million. He attributed this decline to “the crisis affecting the housing sector in Tunisia,” explaining that a large seg- ment of Tunisians has become un- able to obtain bank financing for home purchases due to reduced borrowing capacity and prioritising daily living, education, and health- care expenses, while awaiting fur- ther decreases in interest rates. He added that “social housing in Tunisia has become a crucial neces- sity and lies at the heart of the state’s social policies.” Recently, the statutes of the Société Nationale Immobilière de Tunisie (SNIT) was amended to enable a significant portion of Tunisians to access homeownership, following the instructions of President Kais Saied, who emphasized the need to revive this type of housing and pro- vide affordable homes that match citizens’ purchasing power. The outstanding loans for home im- provement or renovation reached TND 11.270 billion at the end of December 2025, increasing by TND 315.1 million compared to December 2024. Ennaifer explained this growth as part of actual home improvements, such as expansions or adding addi- tional floors, providing an alterna- tive way to secure housing amid the difficulty of obtaining large sums for purchasing new homes. He also noted that “the new gener- ation is increasingly unable to ac- cess bank loans, particularly those intended for acquiring a new home.” On another point, Ennaifer high- lighted that a significant portion of Tunisians deliberately take out home improvement loans, but often redirect them toward consumption purposes. Regarding consumer loans, these reached TND 5.4 billion at the end of 2025, up TND 297.6 million compared to December 2024, al- beit at a slower growth pace. Ennaifer drew attention to the fact that, despite the Central Bank of Tunisia reducing its key interest rate, bank interest rates remain “high” in his view. He added: “We have not yet reached interest rates that encour- age Tunisians to borrow. If mone- tary policy becomes less strict in 2026, this could provide a strong boost to consumption.” As for auto loans, these reached TND 443.3 million by the end of December 2025, an increase of TND 29.6 million compared to the end of December 2024. Student loans represent a small fraction of total outstanding bank loans, reaching TND 14.9 million by the end of 2025. Ennaifer explained that this type of loan reflects families’ investment in their children’s education, whether in private secondary or higher edu- cation. He considered this important for families investing in human capital, especially given the growing de- mand from foreign markets for Tunisian graduates in key and vital sectors. the BANKING EXECUTIVE 40 ISSUE 206 FEBRUARY 2026