Finance Minister Lebbou says no fuel price rise planned for 2027

Finance Minister Lebbou told MPs at the People's National Assembly (APN) in Algiers on Thursday that the 2027 finance bill aims to widen public revenue.

It also aims to attract informal funds, meaning money outside the formal economy, and to limit the effect of worldwide inflation.

Algérie Eco reported, citing the Algeria Press Service (APS), that the bill includes measures to encourage productive investment and support sectors outside oil and gas, including start-ups. The measures aim to widen the tax base without raising tax rates, the minister said.

He added that the measures include better tax collection, a stronger tax administration, action against tax evasion and checks on tax compliance.

The bill also supports economic growth and faster completion of large projects in mining, transport, industry, agriculture and food processing. On Monday, the minister had begun presenting the bill to MPs in a plenary session chaired by Khalida Boufedeche, president of the APN.

He gave a growth forecast of 4.2% for 2027, and also set out forecasts for 2028 and 2029.

Protecting purchasing power

On prices, the minister said the state aims to keep prices stable, make basic goods available, and fight speculation and monopolies. Measures include continued support for essential products, the rehabilitation of wholesale markets, stronger market checks and digital control with early warning systems.

Targeted support, he said, depends on finishing the digitisation process, which will ensure fair and equal sharing of aid.

Public debt

The minister said public debt remains below the reference level set for emerging markets, and that the budget deficit is not unique to Algeria. He said debt should be judged against the growth of gross domestic product (GDP).

"99% of public debt is domestic, which gives us great autonomy in our economic decisions," the minister said.

He said the deficit is handled by mobilising resources, using domestic debt and the Revenue Regulation Fund (FRR), while giving up foreign financing. The approach also includes rationalising spending and widening the tax base.

Will fuel prices rise in 2027?

Algérie 360 reported that the minister was asked about a possible fuel price rise in 2027. He said article 218 of the bill allows a review for the parties concerned, but that this does not mean a fuel price rise is planned.

He said a rise from 1 January 2027 is not among the government's announced plans. To explain, he gave the example of a one-dinar rise per litre of petrol.

If the government had planned such a measure, it would have been included in the bill, then debated and assessed for its budget effect, he said.

"It was not our intention," he said.

He added that the review mechanisms could also apply to other areas, such as industrial constraints faced by companies. These adjustments could push prices up or down, depending on the situation.

He also stressed that any review must be weighed against its effect on citizens and society's reaction.

In its preliminary report, the Finance and Budget Committee proposed an amendment. The amendment would make any review of petrol and diesel prices subject to prior approval by parliament as part of the finance law.

The MPs want more parliamentary oversight of possible fuel price changes, so that decisions affecting daily life are not taken without consultation. The proposal is not yet a final rule, and its future depends on how the bill is examined next.