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A two-year break from the EU’s carbon tax?
House is back in session | Big renewables news | Oasys Health’s big raise | Higher Ed open to investment again
Monday, 12 January 2026
Happy Monday.
We have a busy issue for you today, packed with good news.
The Madbouly government appears to have won exporters a two-year exemption from the EU’s new carbon tax — and officials are scrapping a proposal to limit car the import of car parts to only authorized dealers.
Today at a Glance
Podcasts
Morning Drive is your daily download of the essential headlines shaping Egypt. Hosted by ‘Synthetic Salma’ — an AI-powered version of Executive Editor Salma El-Saeed.
PlaylistListen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Investment Watch
M&A Watch
Explore EnterpriseAM for your industry
A close look at key activities driving headlines across industries
Privatization Watch
Gov’t to add 13 new companies to privatization program
🧣 Good morning, friends, and congratulations on making it to…
Gov’t to offer up to seven new investments in Cairo’s historic center
The areas have already received interest from investors in the GCC and further afield
Newsmakers
Everything you need to know about Thndr’s plans ahead of its regional expansion
Thndr is now in the UAE, eyeing KSA, and is launching its own real estate fund in Egypt
My Morning Routine
Generosity from Canada + network quality awards for Vodafone Egypt
Plus: Vodafone Egypt gets another award for network quality
Spotlight
Regulation
Legislation Watch
House approves in principle cabinet’s bill seeking to amend Education Law
The Education Committee previously approved amendments to the Education Law…
Regulation Watch
El Sisi shuffles central bank board, appointing three new subject-matter experts
Sherif Kamel, Ali Faramawy retain seats for another year
Cabinet Watch
Garghoub is now a Special Economic Zone — here is what that means for investors
Plus: A major overhaul at GOEIC to slash customs times
Ittihadiya
El Sisi calls for review of recent parliamentary elections
The move could potentially see the NEA fully or partially…
Startup Watch
Egyptian-led Oasys Health raises USD 4.6 mn to build the data backbone for mental health
Oasys represents a shift away from consumer wellness apps and toward a system that brings clinical rigor to mental health workflows
Meet Tribe founder Roba El Gindy
“Tribe is the village that it takes to raise a child”
Meet Farah Abdelhamid, founder of FforFarah
While she is often referred to as founder and creative director, Farah Abdelhamid calls…
Industries
Banking
Foreign reserves jump to USD 51.5 bn in December
PLUS- Turkey’s AS Tekstil signed a USD 4.1 mn contract…
Finance
Wall Street hits records as rate cut odds fade for January
First on-time post-shutdown labor report reveals a “slow to hire,…
Capital Markets
Trading volume could become the new currency for EGX tax breaks
Companies will be put on a sliding scale, with the…
Fintech
FRA approves GRANITE’s planned multi-currency fixed-income fund
GRANITE is also getting ready to launch fully digital money…
Climate
Two big boosts for our renewable energy ambitions
Gov’t signed agreements backing a solar and battery storage facility…
Automotive
New tariff plan aims to tip the scales in favor of local EV assembly
But while full exemptions for EVs may soon be a…
Commodities
Why gold is still a structural hedge for Egyptian households
Until the EGP can compete with the psychological security of…
Tech
How online-to-offline strategies are reshaping retail
What looks like a business model is actually a marketing…
Energy
Deal with Israel or not, gas import rights are sticking around until 2030
The retention of the FSRUs also revives the practical application…
Infrastructure
Gov’t to relaunch stalled water desalination PPPs in December
The tender’s first batch will include two to four water…
Manufacturing
More Chinese players make a home out of SCZone
The projects include two solar component factories
Mining
Egypt to host a pan-African gold bank under MoU with Afreximbank
Good morning, friends, and happy new year. It’s been a…
Monday, 12 January 2026
Good afternoon, friends.
We hope you’re surviving the dusty weather. On the docket today: Egypt may walk away from its oil hedging program, gold hits a record USD 4.6k on geopolitical jitters, and we explore how Cairo’s independent theater scene is (re)turning art into a viable business. Let’s dive in.
Today at a Glance
Friday, 9 January 2026
Good morning, friends, and congratulations on making it to the weekend.
It’s been a relatively calm week, with few but pivotal stories making the rounds. With the first workweek of 2026 now over, we hope this weekend gives you ample time to wind down and treat yourself — speaking of which…
Craving a warm, sweet treat? You’re exactly where you should be. For this week’s edition of The Enterprise Guide, we’re listing our favorite warm winter treats and where to find them — you’re welcome.
