The Industry Ministry is rolling out a revamped, more realistic playbook to get local auto manufacturing back in the fast lane, targeting 100k vehicles annually with 60% local content, a government official tells EnterpriseAM. In addition to a focus on passenger vehicles, this package of incentives will also cover buses and mass transit vehicles. While the government is promising a lucrative revamp, the exact details of what these new incentives will look like remain under wraps.

Why it matters: With this updated strategy, the country is pitching itself as a safe harbor and the go-to alternative manufacturing hub for Asian automakers — specifically from China, India, and Japan — who are looking to secure their reach into the EMEA markets while global supply chains remain a mess, we’re told.

What went wrong in the past: The original Automotive Industry Development Program (AIDP) asked for way too much, way too fast. It demanded companies pump out 10k vehicles a year (with a minimum of 5k) with a 35% local content ratio, which could only be met by the largest of automakers and didn’t make financial sense for many given weak domestic purchasing power and a small auto feeder industry, sources in the industry tell us.

While we wait for the exact breakdown of the new AIDP, the government is promising a highly lucrative suite of perks, including performance-based bonuses, extended support for EVs, and special rewards for global companies that bring their advanced tech into the Egyptian market. It is also throwing in extra financial bonuses for producing at a massive volume.

The new framework will actively take into account progress in the component industry by offering direct advantages to producers of glass, upholstery, sheet metal, and other vital automotive inputs.

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