Tunisia misses out on Africa’s top 20 banks list

The 2025 ranking of African banks by Tier 1 capital confirms a well-established continental hierarchy,with South Africa,Egypt,Morocco,Algeria,and Nigeria dominating the top positions. Tunisia was absent.

According to the latest data,the threshold for inclusion in the Top 20 now stands at approximately $2 billion in Tier 1 capital. Tunisia’s largest banks remain below this benchmark,reflecting structural limitations in market depth,capital accumulation,and regional expansion.

Unlike North African peers,Tunisia’s banking landscape is characterized by fragmentation,with a high number of institutions of similar size. This dilutes capital concentration and limits the emergence of dominant players,Tunisie Numerique reported.

In contrast,countries like Morocco and Egypt have cultivated national champions with strong deposit bases,robust capitalization,and growing international footprints.

Macroeconomic constraints also weigh heavily on Tunisian banks. Exposure to sovereign debt,currency volatility,and a higher cost of risk amid economic slowdown have hindered their ability to build capital reserves.

The domestic focus of most Tunisian banks further limits their growth potential,while regional players such as Morocco’s Attijariwafa Bank,Banque Centrale Populaire,and Bank of Africa have expanded aggressively across Africa.