B Investments preps El Ezaby pharmacy for EGX debut

Private equity firm B Investments is preparing pharmacy chain El Ezaby for an initial public offering (IPO) on the EGX, Chairman Hazem Barakat told Al Borsa without referring to a projected timeline. The push to list follows B Investments’ recent successful partial exit from Gourmet on the EGX, which Barakat highlighted as a positive indicator of market appetite.

REFRESHER- Barakat said in February that the pharmacy chain could make its EGX debut as early as next year, though the offer size and manager had not been decided. The Sovereign Fund of Egypt acquired a 49% stake in El Ezaby in May 2023, later partnering with B Investments and MTI to launch an EGP 505 mn logistics joint venture, EZ International.

Infinity Solar exit + healthcare expansion: B Investments also plans to divest its stake in Infinity Energy Solar by year-end. The capital will be repositioned to fund B Investments Healthcare.

Mapping mineral wealth

The Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority is launching the country’s first comprehensive airborne national mineral survey in 42 years, tapping Spain’s Xcalibur to map untapped resources across six major geographic zones, including the Eastern and Western deserts, Sinai, Bahariya Oasis, and Abu Tartour, according to a statement from the Oil Ministry.

Why it matters: This project is long overdue and a critical de-risking tool for mining companies. By providing a high-resolution geological database, the government helps slash the upfront exploration costs that have historically deterred fresh investments. The move is the first major dividend of recent legislative reforms that transformed the mineral resources authority into an independent economic entity, giving it greater flexibility.