Tunisia has secured the 65th position globally and 12th in Africa in the newly released Global Outsourcing Talent Index 2026, a comprehensive study evaluating the competitiveness of 193 countries in the externalization of services.
The index, published by consulting and recruitment firm Ataraxis, paints a picture of a market that remains heavily reliant on cost competitiveness while lagging behind top-tier destinations in critical qualitative metrics like language proficiency and digital maturity.
The report places Tunisia in an “intermediate zone,” highlighting a stark contrast between its strong financial appeal and the emerging demands of the global services economy. While the country boasts a near-perfect score of 97 out of 100 points for labor costs, a significant competitive edge, its performance softens considerably across other key pillars.
The nation scored 40 points for English proficiency, 50 points for talent availability, 50 points for digital infrastructure quality, and 50 points for economic, legal, and political stability.
This mixed performance yields a composite score of 72.675 points for Tunisia, placing it behind regional competitors like Egypt (15th globally), Ghana (17th), and Morocco (26th).
“The Tunisian competitiveness in outsourcing still relies heavily on a cost logic,” the index analysis notes. “However, in the new economy of outsourced services, value is gradually shifting toward more qualitative criteria: linguistic mastery, talent sophistication, digital maturity, and institutional stability.”
Africa’s Shifting Outsourcing Map
On the African continent, the competitive landscape is dominated by South Africa and Nigeria (tied with a score of 83.45) and Kenya (81.625). The report notes that these leading nations are benefiting from progressive improvements in digital infrastructure and deeper integration into global service supply chains.
The Top 10 African ranking is largely shaped by East and West African nations, including Ethiopia (23rd in Africa), Uganda (24th), and Ghana (17th).
The index underscores that Africa is no longer merely a low-cost destination; it is establishing itself as a significant player capable of competing across multiple segments of the outsourcing market.
Globally, the index confirms the dominance of emerging markets that have successfully pivoted from pure cost arbitrage to specialized, high-value service delivery.
The Philippines tops the world ranking with a score of 90.65, driven by a large, service-oriented workforce and exceptionally high English proficiency rooted in the country’s educational system.
The Philippines is followed by Malaysia (85.55) and India (85.4), with Chile and South Africa rounding out the top five.
