🏭 Egypt has seen more than 245k fires since 2020, claiming around 1.13k lives and injuring 4.2k others. One of the biggest culprits, experts warn, is the flood of counterfeit cables on the market — a trade worth as much as EGP 4 bn each year. Despite stepped-up efforts by both the state and private sector to fight counterfeiting and tighten oversight, specialists say the crisis won’t be solved without comprehensive maintenance of electrical connections and tougher legislation to protect lives and infrastructure.

By the numbers: The 254k fire accidents reported between 2020 and 2024 averaged 400 fires every three days, according to data from state statistics agency Capmas. While the number of fires fell 10% over that period, fatalities climbed 17% to 232 in 2024. Electrical short circuits were responsible for more than one in five incidents, with one-third occurring in homes and 40% in garbage-filled empty lots. Summer months saw a spike in fire accidents, underscoring gaps in household safety and waste management.

Rising summer blazes aren’t just about higher temperatures or electricity loads, they reflect what the Cairo Chamber of Commerce’s Exporters Division head Ahmed Zaki calls “an imminent threat to Egypt’s economy and commercial stability.” He traces today’s fire crisis back to compounding problems since 2007, pointing to deep weaknesses in the country’s electrical infrastructure.

The root cause, Zaki tells EnterpriseAM, lies in unlicensed “backstreet factories” producing substandard cables and electrical gear at half the price of originals. These outfits don’t just ignore safety standards — they also counterfeit trusted brands, fooling buyers and flooding the market with products that amount to “ticking timebombs” in homes and factories, Elsewedy Cables General Manager Amr El Sawaf tells EnterpriseAM that the domestic market for counterfeit cables is worth EGP 3-4 bn annually.

Genuine cables use copper with 99.99% purity and heat-resistant insulation, ensuring safe operation. Counterfeits, by contrast, use copper at just 96% purity, which overheats dangerously, melts insulation, and sparks short circuits — the trigger for most fires, Zaki explains.

El Sewedy, Egypt’s biggest cable maker, says it relies on top-grade raw materials tested with advanced tech to meet international standards. To help customers tell the difference, it’s now using anti-counterfeit coding systems and AI-based product verification, El Sawaf tells us.

The danger isn’t confined to households, as counterfeit cables have also made their way into major projects. Some contractors cut costs by installing them in public and private developments. The result? vital facilities left vulnerable to catastrophic fires, Middle East OSHA head Mohamed Bahloul tells EnterpriseAM.

The government has tightened oversight and updated laws to curb counterfeit products, which El Sawaf says has improved consumer trust and cut the circulation of non-compliant goods. But growing demand still leaves gaps. He called for stronger state-private cooperation through data sharing on fake products, joint awareness campaigns, and more rigorous field inspections. El Sewedy is also pursuing legal action against counterfeiters and running awareness drives for traders and customers to reinforce trust in its products.

These efforts are giving local industry more credibility and encouraging companies to invest further and expand production to serve both domestic and export markets, El Sawaf added.

Experts agree on two urgent measures: First, comprehensive inspection and maintenance of electrical systems in both vital infrastructure and private facilities. Second, a new deterrent law that would impose strict penalties on anyone producing or trading in counterfeit cables — to safeguard lives, infrastructure, and the economy against future disasters.

Your top industrial development stories for the week:

• Futek plans to invest EGP 1 bn to manufacture smart meters and upgrade its production lines. The company is also considering expanding into Saudi Arabia and the UAE to tap rising demand for energy-efficient products in the Gulf. (Al Borsa)
• Indian pharma player BDR Group is in talks to establish a facility for biologics and cancer meds in Egypt. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar directed stakeholders to set a clear timeline for execution and expedite the registration of BDR’s products with the Egyptian Drug Authority.
• Two Chinese smartphone makers are looking to locally manufacture their phones in Egypt under a six-month pilot investment, which will see HKEX-listed Coolpad and KXD invest EGP 100 mn in an experimental first stage.