Good afternoon, friends, and congratulations on another week well done. To wrap it up, we have news of a customs tariff revamp in the works on the home front and of Trump’s latest tariffs targeting China. We also sat down with B.TECH founder and CEO Mahmoud Khattab to talk leadership lessons.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

📍 Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk is spearheading a comprehensive review of Egypt’s customs tariffs to accelerate industrial localization and transform Egyptian ports into “industrial and logistical hubs.” Speaking to the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), Kouchouk emphasized that the restructuring is designed to ensure fair competition and encourage the expansion of the transit trade sector, according to a ministry statement.

We knew this move was on the horizon, with senior sources telling EnterpriseAM last year that a study was underway to amend tariffs and reduce “distortions.” In December, Customs Authority head Ahmed Amwi confirmed to us that while some tariffs on finished goods will rise to protect domestic producers, duties on production inputs will be slashed to provide a competitive edge.

Why it matters: This isn’t just about trade — it’s about the surgical alignment of fiscal, tax, and industrial policy. Private sector investment surged 73% last year, while tax revenues grew by 35% without the imposition of new burdens, Kouchouk said. “Our fiscal policies and our tax and customs initiatives strengthen a partnership of trust with the private sector,” he stated, signaling a move toward a more predictable and investor-friendly regulatory environment.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 (xxAA) The Trump administration has imposed a 25% tariff on AI processors sold to China, implementing a deal with Nvidia and AMD that reverses previous export bans in exchange for the government taking a cut of sales. The levy applies to chips like Nvidia’s H200 and AMD’s MI325X that pass through the US before reaching overseas customers. Chips imported for domestic AI development are exempt.

The White House warned broader semiconductor tariffs could follow, while a separate probe into critical minerals may lead to new trade measures on metals like gallium and rare earths within 180 days.

^^Read more on: Financial Times.

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

  • Egypt is one of 75 countries facing an indefinite freeze on US immigrant visaprocessing starting next week. An internal State Department memo first picked up by Fox News says the Trump administration will pause the issuance of immigrant visas for dozens of nations — including Egypt, Iran, and Russia — effective Wednesday, 21 January;
  • Egypt and Libya have resumed talks for a massive increase in the scale oftheir electricity interconnection, aiming to take it from about 150 MW in capacity today to a 2 GW line that could help solve eastern Libya’s chronic electricity problems;
  • The Finance Ministry is in advanced talks with transaction advisors to issue between USD 1-1.5 bn in Eurobonds as early as this month. The ministry is looking to capitalize on a sharp narrowing of risk premiums, with five-year credit default swaps on Egyptian debt falling below 270 bps — their lowest level in six years.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- We’re in for another cool weekend, with temperatures in the capital tomorrow set to peak at 21°C before dropping to 12°C, according to our favorite weather app.

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