Algeria’s week—reforms, trade shifts, healthcare investments

Algeria’s economic and regulatory landscape shifted on multiple fronts this week. Education reforms removed French curricula from private schools. Pharmaceutical production deals and hospital construction advanced. Digital tax measures were previewed in the 2026 Finance Law. Crude output remained below OPEC quotas. Diaspora mobility faced visa delays. Wildfires disrupted eastern provinces. Below, the concrete details.

Education reform removes French curricula, impacts private sector

Algeria’s Ministry of National Education banned French-language curricula in private schools. The decision affects 1,243 licensed private institutions, 87% of which used French as the primary language of instruction. Schools must now adopt the national Arabic curriculum or close. The ministry set a 90-day transition period. Non-compliant schools risk revocation of operating licenses.

Medical schools entered the final phase of a separate reform. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the adoption of a competency-based curriculum for all 14 public medical faculties. The new program reduces theoretical hours by 22% and increases clinical training by 35%. Implementation begins in September 2024.

Private tutoring centres, many of which offered French-language support, reported a 40% drop in enrolment since the announcement. Entrepreneurs in the sector are pivoting to Arabic and English-language programmes. The shift coincides with a 15% increase in demand for English language certifications, according to the British Council Algeria.

Pharmaceuticals: insulin deal, hospital construction, tariffs

Algeria’s Saidal Group signed a production agreement with Danish firm Novo Nordisk. The deal covers local manufacturing of insulin analogues. Annual production capacity is set at 12 million vials, covering 60% of domestic demand. Saidal will invest DZD 4.2 billion (USD 31 million) in a new production line in Constantine. Operations begin in Q2 2025.

Construction began on the Algerian-Qatari-German Hospital in Sidi Abdallah, Algiers. The 450-bed facility is a joint venture between Algeria’s Ministry of Health, Qatar’s Hamad Medical Corporation, and Germany’s Charité. Total investment: USD 350 million. Completion is scheduled for 2027. The hospital will specialise in oncology, cardiology, and organ transplants.

Algeria’s average US tariff rate stands at 17.6%, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative. Pharmaceutical products face a 10% tariff. Medical devices are subject to 5-20% rates, depending on classification. The 2026 Finance Law, previewed this week, maintains current tariffs but introduces a 2% digital services tax on foreign e-commerce platforms.

Digital economy: tax measures, mobility disruptions

The 2026 Finance Law includes three key measures for digital businesses. First, a 2% tax on gross revenue from digital advertising, cloud services, and data processing. Second, mandatory registration of foreign digital service providers with the Algerian tax authority. Third, a 15% withholding tax on payments to non-resident digital platforms.

A bus accident in northern Algeria killed 25 people and injured 44. The incident occurred on the RN12 highway near Tizi Ouzou. The bus, operated by private transport company ETUSA, was en route from Algiers to Béjaïa. ETUSA suspended operations on the route pending an investigation. The accident follows a 12% increase in road fatalities in 2023, according to the National Road Safety Observatory.

Algeria’s MADAR, the state-owned logistics company, announced plans to import 50,000 tonnes of bananas and 10,000 tonnes of coffee from Cameroon in 2024. The deal includes a USD 20 million investment in Cameroonian agro-processing facilities. MADAR also signed a memorandum of understanding with Cameroon’s Ministry of Trade to establish a joint logistics hub in Douala.

Energy: crude output below OPEC quota, wildfires disrupt east

Algeria’s crude oil production averaged 920,000 barrels per day in June 2024, according to OPEC’s Monthly Oil Market Report. The figure is 30,000 barrels below the country’s OPEC quota of 951,000 bpd. Sonatrach attributed the shortfall to maintenance at the Hassi Messaoud and Hassi R’Mel fields. Production is expected to return to quota levels in Q4 2024.

Wildfires in eastern Algeria affected 193 locations across 12 wilayas. As of Thursday morning, 147 fires were extinguished. The worst-hit provinces were Tizi Ouzou, Béjaïa, and Jijel. The Ministry of Interior deployed 12,000 civil protection personnel and 30 aircraft. Economic losses are estimated at DZD 1.8 billion (USD 13.3 million), primarily in agriculture and forestry.

The Solidarity Ministry distributed 45,000 food parcels and 12,000 hygiene kits to affected households. Psychosocial support teams conducted 3,200 counselling sessions. The government allocated DZD 500 million (USD 3.7 million) for temporary housing and reconstruction.

Diaspora: visa delays, repatriations, mobility constraints

A British runner attempting a solo trans-Africa run was stranded in Algiers due to visa processing delays. The runner, Tom Davies, applied for a visa in April 2024. The Algerian consulate in London issued the visa on 10 July, 72 days after submission. The delay forced Davies to postpone the run by three months.

Algeria repatriated 127 students stranded in Morocco. The students, enrolled in Moroccan universities, were unable to return due to the closure of the land border since August 2021. The repatriation was conducted via air and sea routes. The Ministry of Higher Education stated that 89% of the students will be reintegrated into Algerian universities.

Visa processing times for Algerian applicants at Canadian consulates averaged 47 days in Q2 2024, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The figure represents a 19% increase from Q1 2024. Entrepreneurs and business travellers reported delays of up to 60 days for work permits.

Women’s rights: shelters unbuilt, legal gaps persist

Twenty-two years after Algeria’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, no national shelters for survivors of gender-based violence exist. The 2015 law on violence against women mandated the creation of shelters in each wilaya. As of July 2024, only 12 wilayas have operational shelters, all run by NGOs. The Ministry of Solidarity stated that 18 additional shelters are under construction, with completion dates ranging from 2025 to 2027.

The 2024 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Algeria 130th out of 146 countries. Women hold 26% of parliamentary seats and 18% of ministerial positions. In the private sector, women represent 32% of the workforce but only 12% of board members in listed companies.

Infrastructure: metro expansion, logistics investments

The Algiers Metro extended its network to El Harrach Centre, adding 1.8 km and two stations. The extension increases daily ridership capacity by 30,000 passengers. Total investment in the project: DZD 12.5 billion (USD 92 million). The metro now serves 19 stations over 23.2 km.

Cevital, owned by Algeria’s richest man Issad Rebrab, launched a USD 600 million sugar beet processing project in Sétif. The project includes a 120,000-tonne annual production facility and 20,000 hectares of irrigated farmland. Cevital will supply 60% of Algeria’s sugar demand, reducing imports by USD 250 million annually. The plant is scheduled to begin operations in 2026.

Week’s balance

Education: 1,243 private schools must adopt Arabic curriculum by October 2024.
Pharmaceuticals: USD 31 million insulin deal; USD 350 million hospital under construction.
Digital: 2% tax on foreign digital services; 15% withholding tax on non-resident payments.
Energy: Crude output 30,000 bpd below OPEC quota; wildfires caused USD 13.3 million in losses.
Diaspora: Visa delays averaged 47 days for Canadian applications; 127 students repatriated from Morocco.
Women’s rights: 12 wilayas have shelters; 26% of parliamentary seats held by women.
Infrastructure: USD 92 million metro extension; USD 600 million sugar beet project launched.

Key takeaway for entrepreneurs
Algeria’s education reform forces private schools to switch to Arabic, reducing French-language demand. The 2026 Finance Law imposes a 2% tax on foreign digital services and a 15% withholding tax on payments to non-resident platforms. Pharmaceutical production deals and infrastructure projects create supply chain opportunities, but visa delays may disrupt mobility for foreign partners.