A new law divides Algeria into 69 wilayas and 1,541 communes, up from 58 wilayas. The 11 new wilayas take over from their parent wilayas step by step until the end of 2026.
Law 26-06 of 4 April 2026 amends the 1984 law on territorial organisation and was published in Official Journal no. 25 of 5 April. Article 3 sets the new count.
Parent wilayas keep running services in the new wilayas until the new executive councils are in place, and must hand over their powers by 31 December 2026 at the latest. Budgets voted for 2026 stay with the parent wilayas.
The Council of Ministers had approved the creation of the 11 wilayas in the Highlands and the South on 16 November 2025. Their names and numbers were fixed in June.
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