Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune dismissed Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui on August 28 and appointed Sifi Ghrieb as interim head of government, according to a presidential decree published by the official Algerian Press Service (APS). The decree gave no reason for the change, which came less than six months after Bedoui took office in March 2025. Ghrieb, a former minister of housing and urban planning, had been serving as an advisor to Tebboune since 2023.
The reshuffle caught local business leaders and foreign investors off guard. Bedoui, a career civil servant with no party affiliation, had been tasked with implementing Tebboune’s economic recovery plan, which included a 2025 budget that projected 4.5 % GDP growth and a 15 % increase in public investment. The plan also earmarked 400 billion dinars (approximately 2.9 billion USD) for start-up funding and small-business credit guarantees. Entrepreneurs had begun to see the first disbursements from the “Algerian Start-up Fund” in June, with 120 ventures receiving seed capital of up to 50 million dinars each.
Business climate under Bedoui
Entrepreneurs interviewed by El Watan in July cited persistent hurdles: a 17 % value-added tax on digital services, a 30-day payment delay for state contracts, and a 49 % foreign-ownership cap in most sectors. The cap has deterred diaspora investors from Morocco, France, and Canada, who often seek majority control to protect intellectual property.
Ghrieb’s economic track record
Diaspora reaction
What happens next
Local media speculate that Tebboune may use the interim period to test Ghrieb’s ability to manage the cabinet before making a permanent appointment. Ghrieb’s first public statement on August 29 pledged to “maintain the course of economic diversification,” but offered no new policy details.
Key takeaway for entrepreneurs
The sudden change in prime minister freezes policy momentum for at least 30 days, delaying decisions on tax reforms and credit guarantees. Entrepreneurs should monitor the new appointee’s first 100 days for signals on the single-window permit system and the 49 % foreign-ownership cap. Diaspora investors with existing projects in Algeria may benefit from accelerating permit applications before the next cabinet shuffle.
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