Energy Export Decline in Tunisia: A Growing Concern
As of the end of September 2025, Tunisia's energy exports have plummeted by 34%, exacerbating the country's trade deficit, with nearly half (48%) now attributed to this sector, according to a report by the Arab Institute of Business Leaders. This decline highlights the severe crisis facing the Tunisian energy sector.
A Long-Term Decline
The institute emphasizes that this downturn is not a temporary setback, but rather the result of a continuous deterioration over several years. Tunisian oil production has significantly decreased, from 77,000 barrels per day in 2010 to only 27,000 in 2025.
Disappointing Performance of the Nawara Field
Even the hopes pinned on the Nawara field, once considered a strategic lever, have faded. The field's oil production declined by 47% between August 2024 and August 2025, from 54.2 to 28.7 Ktep, while natural gas production decreased by 25%, to 169 Ktep.
A Silver Lining: Lower Global Energy Prices
Paradoxically, the situation could have been even more dire without the decline in global energy prices. The price of a barrel of oil dropped from $84 in June 2024 to $72 in June 2025, a decrease of 15%, thereby mitigating the cost of imports.
Impact on Energy Imports
This development helped slow the growth of energy imports, which ultimately decreased by 11.8% by the end of September 2025, following a surge of 14.5% over the same period in 2024.
