• Tebboune orders probe into barriers to youth unemployment benefits

• Allowance program launched 2022 pays 18,000 dinars monthly

• Youth unemployment near 30%, highlighting limited job opportunities

On Sunday, March 8, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered the youth minister to investigate obstacles preventing some young people from receiving unemployment benefits. The instruction came the same day the government unveiled its National Youth Plan for 2026-2029, highlighting the gap between policy ambition and implementation.

The allowance has been paid since February 2022 by the National Employment Agency (ANEM). It targets first-time job seekers aged 19 to 40 who have no income, have been registered with ANEM for at least six months, and agree not to refuse two job offers matching their profile. Applications are submitted exclusively through the digital platform minha.anem.dz, which has become the first bottleneck. Many eligible candidates drop out before their applications are reviewed. The benefit rose to 18,000 dinars per month in January 2026, about $138, reflecting a steadily growing government commitment since the program began.

The figures, however, tell a more complex story. At a parliamentary session on employment in Algiers in April 2024, Labor Minister Fayçal Bentaleb said 2,823,043 young people had received the allowance since its launch. Of those, 435,475 had found jobs and 368,322 had entered vocational training. In January 2025, the minister added that 37,602 beneficiaries were hired in 2024, a 51% increase from 2023. The progress is tangible, but most recipients have yet to secure stable employment.

The broader context reinforces the urgency of the presidential directive. In 2024, unemployment among Algerians aged 15-24 approached 30%, roughly twice the global average according to the World Bank. At the same time, about 28% of economic activity occurs in the informal sector, according to World Economics data for 2025. This limits the number of young people eligible for a benefit tied to formal employment records.

Ordering an audit effectively acknowledges that administrative systems have struggled to keep pace with political ambition. Whether the review leads to substantive reform or becomes another bureaucratic exercise remains uncertain.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou