As an emerging country that is heavily dependent on oil revenues, Algeria is in urgent need of finding new ways of creating wealth. Entrepreneurship has been touted as an important way to create new wealth in emerging countries. Yet, the record of entrepreneurial development in Algeria is mixed at best. Franchising may be a key business model to develop the necessary entrepreneurial culture, skills and opportunities in Algeria and create new jobs and wealth on a large scale. However, to fully harness the potential of entrepreneurship and franchising as engines of economic development, Algeria needs to undertake major institutional reforms.