Good afternoon, friends, and congratulations on making it to the weekend. It’s been a busy week in the press, and today is no exception. At home, we’re on the lookout for an interest rate cut after the Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meets later today, and we’ve got news that the government is looking into overhauling its non-tax revenue system.

Also in today’s issue: We dissect Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance and recommend your next Netflix binge-watch.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

📍 Gov’t to overhaul non-tax revenue system: The Madbouly government is overhauling its non-tax revenue framework to boost collections currently lagging behind tax revenue growth, a senior government source tells EnterpriseAM. To address the imbalance, the upcoming budget will include changes to public finances, opening up fiscal space for more investment in education and healthcare.

In numbers: Non-tax receipts — including dividends from the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, the Suez Canal Authority, and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) — account for only 12.8% of total state revenue, compared to 87.2% from taxes.

Key pillars of the plan include capturing a greater share of SOE revenues — following a “low” EGP 35 bn transfer in 1H FY 2025-26 despite strong results — and increasing surpluses from companies managed by the Sovereign Fund of Egypt. In a tactical move to support IMF-backed debt reduction targets, the Finance Ministry will also consolidate 19 economic authorities into the general government budget.

We’re hiring a technology reporter: EnterpriseAM is looking for a tech reporter to own the beat across Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and beyond.

This is a reporting job — not a desk job. You’ll be working sources, breaking stories, and writing about trendlines (not just headlines) in our voice and with the authority our readers expect. AI and digital infrastructure are huge features of the beat, but our interests are broad: fintech, telecoms, regulation, SaaS, and the bajillion ways tech is reshaping how businesses operate across the region.

We want someone who can pick up the phone or WhatsApp, get people talking, and turn what they say into stories that senior decision-makers need to read. We also expect you to attend industry events and maintain relationships with PR folks across the industry without selling out. If you’ve got 2-3 years of experience and the hunger to build a beat from the ground up, we want to hear from you. We’re also interested in hearing from veteran reporters. Spoken Arabic is strongly preferred.

The role is based in Cairo, though we’re open to remote for the right candidate. If you’re reading EnterpriseAM, you know what we’re about: A no-BS daily news outlet that tells busy execs, investors, founders, and ambitious people what they need to know about the trends shaping business, economy, finance, regulation, and public policy across our region. We write stories that have impact — about issues that matter — for a global audience of decision-makers.

Do we sound like the type of place where you want work? Send your CV and three clips to jobs@enterpriseamea.com. Also enclose a great cover letter that tells us who you are, what you do, and why you’d be a great fit for this job.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 Schroders’ shares climbed 29% in morning trading today after US asset manager Nuveen bought out the British money manager for USD 13.5 bn, marking one of Europe’s largest fund management transactions and an end to over two centuries of independence for the UK firm. The acquisition will result in a combined USD 2.5 tn in assets under management.

^^Read more on Bloomberg and Reuters.

In other business news, Mercedes-Benz Group just reported full-year operating income of EUR 5.8 bn in 2025 — a steep 57% y-o-y drop, and well below analyst forecasts of EUR 6.6 bn. The earnings reflect a year of intense competition from China and a EUR 1 bn tariff hit.

^^Read more on CNBC.

AND- Russia dismissed US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats to sanction countries that send oil to Cuba. The Kremlin said today it is actively discussing how it can support the Caribbean island.

^^Read more on CNBC.

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

• The gov’t aims to raise some USD 10.3 bn through the privatization of state-owned companies and assets by the end of FY 2026/27. Egypt requires around USD 6 bn to fulfill its commitments under the economic reform program;
• Oversight of profitable public enterprises is moving to the Sovereign Fund of Egypt and the cabinet’s State-Owned Enterprises Oversight Unit. The news follows the latest cabinet reshuffle and the dissolution of the Public Enterprises Ministry;
• Serenity for Investment and Real Estate Management plans to build a 58-feddan memorial garden, redefining the concept of cemeteries in Egypt.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- We’re in for a warm start to the weekend, with temperatures in Cairo set to reach a high of 27°C before cooling down to 16°C, according to our favorite weather app.