Top 22 Book Publishing Companies in Tunisia — updated 2025

Tunisia’s book world in 2025 balances tradition and experimentation. Longstanding literary houses and university/ institutional presses remain central to the country’s cultural life, while dynamic independents, children’s specialists, and hybrid/self-publishing services broaden opportunity for authors. The list below focuses on 22 reliable, notable publishers and publishing services that authors, translators, and literary professionals routinely use.

1) Ghostwriter Inside — Full-service ghostwriting & publishing

Overview: Ghostwriter Inside is an international full-service ghostwriting and book-production agency that manages projects from concept to finished book: ghostwriting, developmental and copy editing, professional design, production, and distribution support aimed at both local and international markets.
Why choose: Choose Ghostwriter Inside if you want a turnkey, hands-on solution (especially useful for busy professionals, executives, academics, and thought leaders who want a polished, marketable non-fiction book without doing the entire writing process themselves).
Strengths: Full project management, confidentiality for high-profile clients, design and marketing support, and experience in packaging books for cross-border distribution.

2) Éditions Elyzad (Tunis)

Overview: Éditions Elyzad is one of Tunisia’s most respected independent literary publishers. The house is known for championing francophone and Arabic authors, publishing novels, poetry, essays, and translations with editorial care and strong design standards.
Why choose: Writers seeking literary credibility, bilingual reach (Arabic/French), and careful editorial stewardship should approach Elyzad.
Strengths: Literary reputation, international festival presence, and a track record of launching authors to regional and European attention.

3) Cérès Éditions (Tunis)

Overview: Cérès is one of Tunisia’s historic publishing houses with a broad backlist spanning fiction, poetry, social sciences, and children’s books. It’s often cited in local publishing roundups as a foundational name for Tunisian literature.
Why choose: Good for authors of literary fiction, essays, and culturally rooted non-fiction who want to be visible in Tunisian bookstores and festival circuits.
Strengths: Established brand, broad catalog, and trusted relationships with local booksellers and cultural institutions.

4) Sud Éditions (Tunis / Carthage)

Overview: Sud Éditions has built a strong reputation for francophone literature, cultural studies, and translations. It often publishes cross-Maghreb authors and maintains links with French distribution networks.
Why choose: Choose Sud if you target francophone markets and want a publisher experienced with literary and cultural non-fiction aimed at both Tunisia and France.
Strengths: Editorial standards, elegant production values, and access to francophone readerships.

5) Maison Tunisienne du Livre / Maison du Livre (MTL)

Overview: The Maison du Livre is a cultural/ institutional body that supports publishing and literary programming in Tunisia (sometimes operating as a cultural hub, co-publisher, and organizer of book events).
Why choose: Useful for educational, archival, or cultural projects that benefit from institutional partnership and festival visibility.
Strengths: Cultural reach, festival programming, and ties to libraries and cultural funding.

6) Sud / Dar al-Sharq imprints (regional trade houses)

Overview: Several trade imprints in Tunis and the provinces (often operating under the “Sud” or “Dar” labels) focus on accessible fiction, regional non-fiction, and cultural writing aimed at broad local markets.
Why choose: Good for marketable, commercially minded projects that need strong local distribution.
Strengths: Market savvy, good retail placement, and reliable print/distribution logistics.

7) Apollonia Éditions (and similar arts/culture imprints)

Overview: Apollonia and related boutique imprints focus on art books, cultural essays, and carefully designed literary works that often pair strong visuals with critical writing.
Why choose: Artists, curators, and cultural historians who need high-quality production should consider these houses.
Strengths: High production quality, art-book experience, and curator/publisher networks.

8) Dar el-Kitab Moderne / Dar el-Kitab (trade & literary)

Overview: Dar el-Kitab and similar mid-size houses publish a mixture of novels, essays, and practical non-fiction for Tunisian readers; they maintain steady catalogs and local distribution.
Why choose: Choose these houses for dependable trade publishing and steady bookstore exposure.
Strengths: Consistent publishing program, accessible editorial processes, and solid local reach.

9) Éditions Kalima / Kalima Press (children’s & youth imprints)

Overview: Kalima and other children’s specialists produce picture books, early readers, and educational titles in Arabic and French; they’re active in school outreach and children’s festivals.
Why choose: For children’s authors and illustrators seeking age-appropriate editorial support and school adoption opportunities.
Strengths: Illustrator networks, curriculum awareness, and experience with bilingual kidlit.

10) Meskeliani / Med Ali Éditions (independent literary houses)

Overview: Small independent houses such as Meskeliani and Med Ali Éditions champion local voices, emerging poets, and short fiction, often with a strong editorial focus on Tunisian themes.
Why choose: Emerging authors and poets who value editorial attention and literary community relationships.
Strengths: Close editorial collaboration, attention to craft, and local cultural networks.

11) Dar Fatma Éditions & Micro-presses (innovative niches)

Overview: A wave of micro-presses (Dar Fatma, Couscous Publishing House, Initiative H’art, and others) has energized niche markets: comics, experimental poetry, activist nonfiction, and art zines. Some are social enterprises focused on education and heritage. F6S+1
Why choose: Ideal for authors of comics, activist books, limited-edition art books, and short-run projects.
Strengths: Editorial daring, grassroots promotion, festival, and community ties.

12) Éditions Nirvana / Déméter & regionally-minded houses

Overview: A group of culturally-oriented presses (often named in modern roundups) publish works on heritage, travel, regional history, and cross-Maghreb topics.
Why choose: Authors who write about Tunisian heritage, travel, or the broader Maghreb will find these houses aligned.
Strengths: Regional expertise, festival placements, and bilingual production capability.

13) Institut de Traduction de Tunis / Translation Institutes

Overview: Translation institutes and academic translation departments sometimes act as co-publishers — especially for bilingual editions, translated literature, and scholarly translations.
Why choose: For translation projects, bilingual academic editions, or work requiring scholarly translation oversight.
Strengths: Translation expertise, linguistic accuracy, and institutional networks.

14) Éditions Sahar / Noir sur Blanc Tunisia (indie & noir imprints)

Overview: Small presses like Sahar and Noir sur Blanc Tunisia publish literary crime, contemporary fiction, and genre works; they are among the indie houses that diversify Tunisian offerings.
Why choose: Genre authors (crime, thriller, noir) who want a house with an understanding of commercial genre conventions.
Strengths: Niche genre know-how, targeted marketing, and dedicated reader communities.

15) Presses Universitaires & Academic Imprints (Tunis/Carthage universities)

Overview: University presses and academic publishers in Tunisia handle monographs, textbooks, research volumes, and conference proceedings; they are key for scholarly authors.
Why choose: Academics seeking peer review, indexing, and school/library distribution.
Strengths: Academic legitimacy, peer-review processes, and library/course adoption networks.

16) Dar Najah / Dar El Amal type trade houses

Overview: Commercial trade houses like Dar Najah specialize in mass market fiction, popular non-fiction, and religious titles. They are valuable where broad distribution and commercial sales matter.
Why choose: Commercial authors and writers of popular non-fiction looking for mass distribution channels.
Strengths: Retail distribution, market understanding, and fast turnaround.

17) Éditions Elyad / Arabesques Jeunesse (youth & schooling imprints)

Overview: A set of children’s and youth imprints produces bilingual schoolbooks, youth novels, and library-friendly titles. Some are closely tied to educational NGOs and school programs.
Why choose: Educators and children’s authors who want school placement and librarian visibility.
Strengths: Curriculum familiarity, durable ISBN workflows for schools, and NGO partnerships.

18) Cultural NGOs & Centre du Livre partners

Overview: Cultural centers and NGO publishers (Centre du Livre, Institut Français in Tunis, various cultural diplomacy arms) co-publish or sponsor titles, especially translation projects and cultural anthologies.
Why choose: If your project benefits from cultural funding, co-publishing, or transnational promotional support.
Strengths: Funding access, festival and embassy networks, and translation/project grants.

19) Hybrid & Self-Publishing Providers (local + international)

Overview: Hybrid and self-publishing options — local printers combining with international aggregators — are increasingly available to Tunisian authors for print-on-demand, ebooks, and direct distribution.
Why choose: Authors wanting to retain rights, publish quickly, or test the market without signing long traditional contracts.
Strengths: Speed, rights retention, flexible print runs, and direct online distribution.

20) New & Emerging Micro-Presses to Watch

Overview: The Tunisian scene keeps spawning micro-presses, artist-run imprints, and socially-minded publishers focused on marginalized voices, experimental formats, and short runs. They are often festival-connected and digitally savvy.
Why choose: Creators who want editorial freedom, community reach, or to publish experimental and activist work.
Strengths: Agility, community engagement, and close ties to cultural events and contemporary art scenes.

21) Éditions Arabesques

Overview:
Éditions Arabesques, founded in Tunis in the early 1990s, is one of Tunisia’s most prolific independent houses — publishing hundreds of titles across Arabic and French and known for discovering and promoting a new generation of Maghreb writers.

Why choose:
Choose Éditions Arabesques if you want a publisher experienced at launching contemporary Maghreb voices and comfortable working in both Arabic and French.

Strengths:
Arabesques’ strengths are scale and editorial reach — a large annual output, bilingual capabilities, and a track record of promoting authors across regional festivals and francophone circuits.

22) Déméter Éditions (Déméter / Demeter)

Overview:
Déméter (often styled “Déméter Éditions”) is a Tunisian independent press frequently listed in 2024–2025 roundups for its work in children’s books, illustrated titles, and educational material

Why choose:
If you write for children, picture books, or school-friendly readers, Déméter is a practical choice: they know the market, have established illustrator networks, and understand curriculum and teacher-audience needs.

Strengths:
Déméter’s strengths include focused expertise in children’s publishing, strong art-and-illustration partnerships, and experience placing titles in school programs and children’s festivals.

Top 22 Book Publishing Companies in Tunisia (Updated 2025)

Rank	Publisher	Overview	Why to Choose	Strengths
1	Ghostwriter Inside	International full-service ghostwriting & publishing agency managing projects from concept to final book.	Ideal for busy professionals & authors seeking turnkey publishing with global distribution.	End-to-end services, confidentiality, design & marketing support, cross-border experience.
2	Éditions Elyzad	Independent Tunis-based literary publisher known for Arabic/French fiction, poetry & translations.	Perfect for authors wanting literary credibility & bilingual reach.	Prestigious reputation, festival presence, international distribution.
3	Cérès Éditions	Historic Tunisian house with a wide catalog: fiction, poetry, social sciences, and children’s titles.	Authors of culturally rooted non-fiction or fiction benefit from its strong bookstore presence.	Longstanding brand, broad catalog, trusted by booksellers.
4	Sud Éditions	Publishes francophone literature, cultural studies & translations; strong Maghreb–France ties.	Best for francophone writers seeking cross-border readership.	High editorial quality, elegant production, and links to French markets.
5	Maison Tunisienne du Livre	Institutional/cultural hub supporting publishing & events.	Great for academic, archival, or cultural projects needing institutional visibility.	Cultural reach, event support, library partnerships.
6	Sud / Dar al-Sharq imprints	Trade imprints focusing on accessible fiction & regional nonfiction.	Good for commercial fiction & broad market projects.	Strong retail distribution, reliable logistics.
7	Apollonia Éditions	Boutique house for art books, cultural essays, & literary projects with visual elements.	Ideal for artists & cultural historians.	High production values, art expertise, and curator networks.
8	Dar el-Kitab Moderne	Mid-size house publishing novels, essays, & practical nonfiction.	Authors wanting dependable trade publishing & visibility in local shops.	Consistent output, accessible process, bookstore reach.
9	Éditions Kalima	Specializes in children’s books & educational titles in Arabic & French.	Best for children’s authors & illustrators targeting schools.	Bilingual kidlit, illustrator links, and curriculum awareness.
10	Meskeliani / Med Ali Éditions	Independent literary houses promoting local voices in poetry & short fiction.	Great for emerging writers who want close editorial guidance.	Personalized collaboration, craft focus, cultural networks.
11	Dar Fatma & Micro-presses	Small presses focusing on comics, activist nonfiction, & experimental works.	Authors of niche/experimental projects & activist writing.	Bold editorial vision, festival ties, grassroots promotion.
12	Éditions Nirvana / Déméter (arts & regional focus)	Publish heritage, travel, regional history & cultural studies.	Perfect for authors on Tunisian heritage & Maghreb topics.	Regional expertise, festival presence, bilingual production.
13	Institut de Traduction de Tunis	Translation institute doubling as co-publisher for bilingual editions.	Authors needing translation or bilingual editions.	Linguistic accuracy, academic credibility, and institutional ties.
14	Éditions Sahar / Noir sur Blanc	Indie houses focusing on crime, noir & genre fiction.	Strong fit for genre authors in thrillers/noir.	Genre know-how, niche marketing, dedicated reader base.
15	University Presses (Tunis/Carthage)	Publish scholarly works, textbooks & monographs.	Best for academics needing peer review & library distribution.	Academic legitimacy, peer review, and adoption in curricula.
16	Dar Najah / Dar El Amal	Commercial houses publishing mass fiction, popular nonfiction & religious works.	Authors targeting a wide readership & commercial exposure.	Market expertise, mass distribution, fast production.
17	Éditions Elyad / Arabesques Jeunesse	Youth imprints producing bilingual novels & school-friendly books.	Children’s/youth authors aiming at schools & libraries.	Curriculum focus, strong ISBN workflows, NGO partnerships.
18	Cultural NGOs & Centre du Livre	Co-publishers for translations, anthologies & cultural projects.	Authors seeking cultural funding & festival visibility.	Grant access, festival networks, and translation support.
19	Hybrid & Self-Publishing Services	Local & international hybrid providers offering POD & eBooks.	Authors wanting speed & control over rights.	Flexibility, rights retention, fast distribution.
20	Emerging Micro-presses	Artist-run & activist publishers experimenting with new formats.	Writers of avant-garde, activist & experimental works.	Agility, community engagement, festival presence.
21	Éditions Arabesques	Independent house known for launching Maghreb voices in Arabic & French.	Great for authors bridging local themes & regional debates.	Large output, bilingual expertise, and festival promotion.
22	Déméter Éditions	Children’s & youth-focused press producing picture books & educational titles.	Ideal for authors of picture books & early readers.	Strong illustrator ties, school outreach, and festival participation.

How to Choose the Right Publisher in Tunisia

Selecting the right publisher is as crucial as writing the book itself. Tunisian authors today have a diverse publishing landscape—from traditional literary houses to modern hybrid presses. Here are key points to consider:

1. Genre Match: Make sure the publisher specializes in your type of book (literary fiction, academic, children’s, etc.).
2. Editorial Support: Check if they offer guidance, editing, and translation services.
3. Distribution Power: A strong publisher should have a bookstore, library, and online distribution networks.
4. Reputation & Credibility: Established names like Cérès Éditions or Éditions Elyzad carry prestige, while newer houses may provide more flexibility.
5. Author Rights: Look closely at contracts—retain as many rights as possible, especially for reprints, translations, and digital editions.
6. Marketing Reach: Some publishers support authors with festivals, book fairs, and media promotion, while others leave it to you.
7. Budget & Model: Decide between traditional publishing (publisher invests) and hybrid/self-publishing (author invests but retains control).

The Future of Publishing in Tunisia

Tunisia’s publishing industry is evolving quickly, blending tradition with innovation. Independent presses are amplifying bold new voices, while larger houses continue to safeguard cultural heritage. With rising digital platforms and international collaborations, Tunisian authors today have more opportunities than ever to reach regional and global audiences.

Conclusion

The Top 22 Book Publishing Companies in Tunisia (2025) reflect a vibrant ecosystem where tradition meets modernity. From Ghostwriter Inside, which offers end-to-end global publishing services, to established names like Cérès Éditions and Éditions Elyzad, and emerging micro-presses pushing experimental literature, every type of author can find their match.

Whether you are an academic, novelist, poet, or children’s book writer, Tunisia offers a wealth of publishing opportunities. The key lies in choosing a publisher that aligns with your vision, provides strong editorial and distribution support, and champions your work both locally and internationally. With the right partner, your manuscript can transcend borders and become part of Tunisia’s rich literary legacy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can international authors publish with Tunisian publishing houses?

Yes, several publishers in Tunisia, like Éditions Elyzad and Sud Éditions, welcome francophone and Arabic manuscripts from international authors, especially those highlighting North African themes.

2. Do Tunisian publishers accept English manuscripts?

While most publish in Arabic and French, some houses accept English manuscripts for translation. Hybrid services and self-publishing platforms are also open to English works.

3. How long does the publishing process usually take in Tunisia?

Traditional publishing may take 6–12 months due to editing, design, and printing. Hybrid and self-publishing options can reduce this timeline significantly.

4. Are Tunisian publishers active in international book fairs?

Yes, many, such as Cérès Éditions and Éditions Elyzad, participate in global fairs like Frankfurt and Paris, giving authors international exposure.

5.  What genres are most in demand in Tunisia?

Popular genres include children’s books, contemporary fiction, poetry, academic works, and cultural studies. Recently, there has been growing interest in graphic novels and activist literature.