Tax and Structural Pressures
Geopolitical and Energy Dynamics
Regulatory and Administrative Updates
Foreign Investment and Industrial Plans
Sonatrach’s 2026 oil and gas licensing round was formally announced, with 19 blocks available for bidding. Four blocks in the Ahnet basin (south-central Algeria) and five in the Berkine basin (east) are designated for foreign participation. The tender process closes in Q4 2025, with technical bids evaluated by a joint Sonatrach-ANP (Algerian Petroleum Agency) committee.
SMEs and Trade Engagement
Mustapha Ferfera, Director of the Algiers Stock Exchange (Bourse d’Alger), reiterated the exchange’s role in financing SMEs through its PME Board, which listed 18 companies since its 2022 launch. Market capitalization on the PME Board reached 1.1 billion dinars (≈$8.1 million) as of June 2024, up from 700 million dinars in December 2023.
Legal and Press Freedom Concerns
Digital Transformation Accelerates
Cultural and Historical Notes
Business Creation and Digital Strategy
Sectoral Interconnections
Foreign industrial consortia (e.g., El-Sewedy’s Cameroon-Algeria plans) are contingent on regulatory efficiency in business creation, which the CNRC’s digital reforms are addressing. Meanwhile, the AfCFTA’s limited impact on Algerian SMEs underscores the need for further trade facilitation measures to complement digital and energy initiatives.
Balance of the Week
Key takeaway for entrepreneurs
💡 Starting a business in Algeria? GlobalStart guides you step by step: procedures, real costs, company forms (SARL, EURL, SPA) and CNRC registration.