July and August 2026 Power Outages Cost Tunisian Businesses Over 1.26 Billion Dinars

TUNIS – The power outages that plagued Tunisia in July and August 2026 have inflicted significant financial damage on the country’s business sector. According to a survey conducted by the Arab Institute of Business Leaders (IACE) and published on October 27, 2026, direct losses in value added exceeded 1.26 billion Tunisian dinars.

Sectoral Impact

The manufacturing industry bore the brunt of the crisis, suffering losses of 671.5 million dinars. This was followed by the merchant services sector, which lost 316.1 million dinars, and the commerce sector, which recorded losses of 282.1 million dinars.

Prevalence and Duration of Outages

The survey highlights the widespread nature of the disruptions:

96% of the businesses surveyed reported experiencing power cuts.
58% of these businesses faced multiple outages per day.
On average, companies lost 13 days of activity during the study period.
For 29% of the respondents, the interruptions resulted in the loss of at least 20 working days.

Impact on Sales and Revenue

The consequences of the energy crisis extended beyond operational downtime to directly affect sales performance:

Approximately 64% of the responding businesses reported a decline in their turnover.
In the industrial sector specifically, this figure rose to 83%.

Export-Oriented SMEs Affected

The survey also underscores the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international market exposure. Notably, 63% of the sample consisted of companies that are either fully or partially exporters, indicating that the power instability has disrupted not only domestic operations but also Tunisia’s export capabilities.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the substantial cost of electricity interruptions to both production and commercial activity. The results underscore the critical importance of ensuring a continuous power supply for the smooth functioning of businesses in Tunisia.