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AUTOMOTIVE-
Locally-assembled Sandstorm-branded vehicles? Local automotive player Abou Ghaly Motors plans to invest USD 26 mn to set up a factory in the north of the Gulf of Suez to assemble models from the UAE’s Sandstorm Motor Vehicles Manufacturing, a company official told Asharq Business.
The company has already invested 40% of the total amount since the beginning of the year and plans to complete the remaining investment by year-end. Production is scheduled to begin in 1Q 2026, and the company plans to dedicate the factory’s entire production capacity to exports, with a focus on African markets.
Sandstorm made its manufacturing debut with the UAE’s first ever locally made SUV — the Sandstorm Alreem, which was designed with the country’s hot and desert climate in mind. We’re yet to find out what models Sandstorm is planning to roll out from Egyptian assembly lines, but it could also include its planned pickup truck in the works: the Sandstorm S24.
** It has been brought to our attention that the news published by Asharq Business is inaccurate.
ENERGY-
New awards to drill at least 17 exploration wells: The Oil Ministry has awarded seven new exploration and production blocks affiliated with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, according to a ministry statement. The new awards will see firms funnel fresh investments into the blocks and bring at least 17 new wells online. Cheiron, Apache, Pharos Energy, IPR Energy, and a consortium of Egypt’s NPC Energy and UK-based GHP all secured blocks.
More up for grabs: Other explorations — including undeveloped Mediterranean fields and new blocks in the Gulf of Suez and Western Desert — remain open, with bids due by 2 July. The ministry is expected to announce four additional Mediterranean block awards soon under the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company’s latest bid round.
TRANSPORT-
A new digital parking management system in Cairo is here: Cairo Governorate launched a new digitized system to regulate informal parking attendants, requiring them to be registered with companies contracted with the governorate to manage parking spaces, according to a statement from the governorate. All parking areas are getting integrated into an official framework, preventing unauthorized fees and providing clear pricing — capped at EGP 10 for the first hour, with lower rates for the second hour.
