Tunisia Islamic finance: overview and future prospects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to better understand the current state of the Islamic financial system in Tunisia. In addition, it is aimed at discussing the preconditions that can help exploit the potential development of Tunisia's Islamic finance and expand the banked population. Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes the regulatory and legal framework governing the Tunisian Islamic banks. It provides a mapping of Islamic banks, mutual funds, Takaful institutions and a potential Sukuk market. The paper also relates recent developments including academic qualifications and training in Islamic finance. Findings – The paper concludes with various recommendations for the successful transition from a niche position to a critical mass. It argues the need to establish a specific regulatory framework, supervisory standards and rules of accounting for this kind of institutions. It suggests the development of Islamic financial education to strengthen the role played by the Islamic financing Ecosystem and to help Tunisia promote local and exportable expertise to other countries. Finally, authorities should focus more on promoting market Sukuk, Takaful and microcredit to fund SME. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the assessment of the current situation of Islamic finance in Tunisia by performing a full scan of the Islamic financial landscape instead of being limited only to Islamic banks. It proposes some prerequisites to benefit from the opportunities offered by the Islamic finance industry in Tunisia to take advantage of its future potential and ensure its promotion.