Tunisia’s energy trade balance deficit recorded a slight decline of 4 % at the end of May 2025, reaching 4,382 million dinars against 4,572 million dinars at the same time of the previous year. This is revealed by the latest data published by the National Energy and Mines Observatory.
This withdrawal of the deficit remains however relative, because it is mainly explained by a marked contraction of the country’s energy exchanges. Indeed, exports of energy products dropped by 36 % in value compared to May 2024, while imports fell 12 % over the same period. This simultaneous drop illustrates a global slowdown in energy activity, in an still volatile international context.
Even more worrying, the rate of coverage of imports by exports in the energy sector remains extremely low. According to the observatory, it does not exceed 18 % at the end of May 2025, stressing the country’s high dependence on the outside for its energy needs.
These figures highlight the persistent vulnerability of the Tunisian energy balance. They recall the urgency of accelerating transition strategies towards renewable energies, but also to improve energy efficiency to reduce this costly structural dependence for the national economy.
