Borrowing in Tunisian dinars: lenders, costs and public schemes
In Tunisia, credit is granted in dinars by banks, leasing companies and microfinance institutions. The Central Bank of Tunisia supervises the banks and leasing firms, while the Microfinance Supervisory Authority oversees the microfinance sector and its lenders.
Central Bank of Tunisia and its 7% policy rate
The Central Bank of Tunisia cut its policy rate from 7.5% to 7% on 7 January 2026 and held it there at the following meetings. Because many loans are indexed to the TMM money market rate, the cut feeds through to variable repayments.
Public, private and Islamic banks on the Tunisian market
The market includes public banks such as STB, BNA and BH Bank, private lenders such as BIAT, Attijari Bank, Amen Bank, UIB and BT, and Banque Zitouna, Al Baraka Bank and Wifak Bank for Sharia-compliant financing.
Usury thresholds published every six months
Law 99-64 punishes excessive interest rates. For the first half of 2026, the average APR on housing loans stood at 10.25% with a ceiling of 12.30%, each cap being set 20% above the average rate observed in that loan category.
Law 2024-41: rate relief on certain fixed-rate loans
In force since August 2024, Law 2024-41 lets holders of fixed-rate loans running longer than seven years ask for a new rate equal to half of the original one, subject to a cumulative cost condition and with no extra fees.
What Tunisian households actually borrow for
At the end of June 2026, outstanding loans to individuals reached about 30.7 billion dinars, dominated by buying and renovating homes. A mortgage in Tunisia therefore weighs far more in household debt than car loans or everyday consumer credit.
Credit register and the end of Mitigan's licence
Banks check the BCT credit register to see how much an applicant already owes. The private credit bureau Mitigan CIB lost its licence in March 2026 because it had not started operating within the deadlines set by Decree-Law 2022-2.
Microfinance supervised by the ACM
Seven microfinance institutions and around 290 associations served more than 800,000 clients at the end of 2024, at an average APR of 25.7% that the ACM described as worrying. Microcredit in Tunisia is therefore accessible but expensive for low earners.
Zero-interest honour loans since October 2026
Decree 148 of 2026 and BCT Circular 8/2026 created loans with no interest and no collateral: 5,000 dinars for an individual, 10,000 for a small project and 25,000 for an SME or community company, all requested online.
Social housing: FOPROLOS and the first home programme
FOPROLOS, run together with BH Bank, lends to employees earning between one and six times the SMIG minimum wage at rates from 1% to 7%. The first home programme, for its part, finances part of the required down payment at 2%.
CNSS and CNRPS social security funds as lenders
The CNSS for private-sector workers and the CNRPS for civil servants grant their members personal, car and housing loans on preferential terms. Applications are assessed at their regional offices, which adds to what conventional banks offer borrowers.
Cheque reform and card instalments
Since the cheque reform took effect in early 2025, post-dated cheques used to guarantee instalment payments have been banned. Several banks now offer repayment schedules on a deferred-debit credit card in Tunisia as a practical replacement for shoppers.
No fixed salary: the options that remain
People without a payslip turn to microcredit associations, BTS Bank, support from the ANETI employment agency or the new honour loans. Our guide to a loan without a job in Tunisia explains these options and their limits in detail.
Typical path of a loan application in Tunisia
- Compare offers from several banks and check that the quoted APR stays below the usury threshold published for that loan category.
- Work out your repayment capacity, keeping monthly deductions below 40% of salary, a cap that Tunisian banks often apply.
- Gather your national ID card, payslips, salary certificate and recent bank statements before the branch appointment.
- Sign the salary or pension domiciliation undertaking, the usual condition for a loan to an individual.
- Arrange the collateral requested: a mortgage registered at the land registry, a pledge on the vehicle or a personal guarantee.
- Read the amortisation table, the fixed or TMM-indexed rate and the death insurance carefully before signing.
Cost benchmarks for borrowing in Tunisian dinars
| Item | Indicative benchmark | Source or comment |
|---|---|---|
| BCT policy rate | 7% (indicative, 2026) | Basis for TMM-indexed loans |
| Average APR, housing loans | 10.25% (indicative, H1 2026) | Usury ceiling at 12.30% |
| Average APR, consumer loans | 11.23% (indicative, H1 2026) | Ceiling equals the average plus 20% |
| Average APR, microcredit | 25.7% (indicative, end of 2024) | Figure published by the ACM |
| Honour loan for individuals | 0%, up to 5,000 TND | Decree 148 of 2026, repaid within two years at most |
Documents a Tunisian bank usually asks for
- Valid national identity card (CIN)
- Last three payslips and an employment or salary certificate
- Bank or postal account statements covering three to six months
- Salary domiciliation undertaking signed by the employer
- Extract from the National Business Register for self-employed applicants
- Ownership certificate from the land registry when a mortgage is involved
Pitfalls that sink a loan application in Tunisia
- Stacking a CNSS loan, a bank loan and a microcredit until deductions exceed 40% of income: the credit register reveals every one of them.
- Handing your ID card and a fee to a fake Facebook intermediary promising a fast-tracked honour loan, when the application is free and made online.
- Signing a TMM-indexed loan without simulating a rise in the policy rate over the whole repayment period.
- Offering an unregistered home held under an old deed as security for a standard mortgage loan.
- Giving a blank cheque to a private lender, a risky practice that goes against the spirit of the cheque reform.
Lenders to contact
- Enda Tamweel: Tunisian microfinance institution granting microloans to micro-entrepreneurs, including in rural areas, backed by banking partners and development funders.
- BH Bank (Banque de l'Habitat): Tunisian bank historically specialised in housing, offering home loans to individuals as well as working-capital financing for professionals and businesses.
Your questions about borrowing in Tunisia
Who supervises banks and microfinance institutions in Tunisia?
The Central Bank of Tunisia licenses and supervises banks and financial institutions, including leasing companies. Microfinance institutions fall under the Microfinance Supervisory Authority, a body created in 2011 that brings together the Ministry of Finance and the BCT.
Is there a legal cap on interest rates in Tunisia?
Yes. Law 99-64 bans excessive rates: an APR may not exceed by more than 20% the average effective rate published for its category in the previous half-year. For housing loans, that ceiling was 12.30% in the first half of 2026.
How do the honour loans launched in 2026 work?
These interest-free loans carry no collateral or fees and have been requested on banks' digital platforms since 1 October 2026. They are repaid within two years at most, with a possible six-month grace period, and the bank must answer within ten working days.
Can Tunisians who already have debts still borrow?
It is possible if monthly deductions stay below roughly 40% of salary, a rule restated for the honour loans in particular. Beyond that, banks generally refuse, because the BCT credit register shows them all of the applicant's outstanding loans.