The success story of local tech ecosystems across Africa has provided a positive narrative over the past decade.

But much of this success has come despite the lack of an enabling environment or reformist legislation. Increasingly, however, governments across the continent are beginning to focus more on how to boost fledgling ecosystems. With a newly passed Startup Act  —a law which sets out government’s policies for startup growth—Tunisia appears to be taking the lead in this regard.

From Quartz.  Story by Abdi Latif Dahir and Yomi Kazeem.

The law has come after two years of deliberations with legislators engaging entrepreneurs, civil society, and investors. The big picture is largely to put science and technology at the heart of Tunisia’s economic transformation rather than traditional sectors like tourism and agriculture.

Startup Act

As part of its provisions, the law supports startups in funding, grants them exemptions from corporate taxes, allows both private and public sector employees up to a year off from their current jobs to run their outfits, provides a government-sanctioned salary to founders and helps firms file for international patents.

Read more at Quartz.