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The end of custom-free phone imports
Gourmet lists on the EGX today | El Sisi in Davos | OCI-Orascom merger on ice.
Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Exempt no more
Good morning, wonderful people. We have a big issue for you on this very windy Cairo morning.
Up first: No more customs-free mobile phone for you. The Finance Ministry has rescinded a year-old ruling that granted Egyptians a once-every-three-years exemption from customs and taxes when they bring a new smartphone into the country.
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 end privatisation hiatus with two companies set to debut on EGX next month
Good afternoon, folks, and happy hump day. Today’s issue brings…
Privatization to pick up steam in 1Q 2026 as stock market incentive package nears completion
The exact dates are still being finalized, taking into account the year-end close and the rollout of the new stock market incentive…
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
Knot Technologies looks to expand its efforts to kill the event ticket resale black market with USD 1 mn pre-seed round
Fans often end up paying “10 times the price, 100 times the price” on the black market for tickets
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
The CBE is taking a tougher stance on regulation
Last summer, HSBC paid the CBE a EGP 1.4 bn…
Finance
Two-speed China: exports fly, corporate profits lag
China generated a USD 1.2 tn trade surplus in 2025,…
Capital Markets
Futures trading to land on the EGX in March
Futures contracts will first debut on the EGX30 before eventually…
Fintech
FRA approves GRANITE’s planned multi-currency fixed-income fund
GRANITE is also getting ready to launch fully digital money…
Climate
We’re tackling the missing piece in our renewables strategy: Batteries
Without a real focus on energy storage, Egypt’s efforts to…
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…
Energy
Oil Ministry is working overtime to ensure we see an uptick in natgas production
The ministry is launching two international exploration tenders this year
Infrastructure
Gov’t to relaunch stalled water desalination PPPs in December
The tender’s first batch will include two to four water…
Manufacturing
SCZone to welcome two new projects worth a combined USD 1.3 bn !_StoryHedWeb_! Egypt to welcome two new projects worth a combined USD 1.3 bn
We’ll also see three new cement plants up and running…
Mining
Egypt to host a pan-African gold bank under MoU with Afreximbank
Good morning, friends, and happy new year. It’s been a…
Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Good afternoon, friends, and happy hump day.
In today’s issue you’ll find details on the end of the phone import exemption, Trump’s intensifying Greenland push, and a guide to making your meetings shorter, sharper, and less painful.
Today at a Glance
Friday, 16 January 2026
Good morning, friends, and welcome to the weekend.
It’s been a busy week — from a looming US visa freeze to Egypt’s CBAM reprieve and a potential Eurobond issuance. We’ve got the full rundown below.
And if you’re looking to stay cozy indoors this weekend, we’ve put together a guide to short reads you can finish in a single sitting.
