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Logistics (MENA) 
Climate (MENA) 
Industries
Agriculture
Egypt moves to link fertilizer feedstock costs to international gas prices
For producers of nitrogen-based fertilizers like urea and ammonia in Egypt, natural gas accounts for…
Egyptian urea output holds steady despite gas squeeze — for now at least
Good morning, friends. We hope you’re staying warm as we push through this cold snap…
Hormuz Strait closure leaves gap in global fertilizer market — and also cuts off the gas we need to fill it
Egypt already producing 7-8 mn tons of nitrogenous fertilizers each year, of which 40-50% is…
My Morning Routine: Helmy Abouleish, CEO of Sekem
I love that Iftar is a chance to really connect with my family — not…
Automotive
China’s Henan Zhongfu to build USD 2 bn aluminum hub in Egypt
Plus: Mobica expands into automotive, agritech in USD 20 mn industrial play
Bokra debuts Shakmagia gold fund this month, targets EGP 10 mn
Plus: FRA is capping vehicle depreciation rates to settle claims disputes
Industry Ministry pushes for 100k vehicles a year and 60% local content in an auto industry reboot
Proposed incentives include performance-based bonuses, extended support for EVs, and special rewards for companies that…
Car market flips from deep discounts to empty showrooms and overpricing in wake of Iran war
For some models in short supply, EGP 100k markdowns have been replaced with an EGP…
Banking
Central Bank of Egypt looks to renew USD 2 bn Kuwaiti deposit as regional conflict stalls FDI conversions
The maturing USD 2 bn deposit is expected to be renewed under the same existing…
Mashreq launches non-resident accounts for Egyptians in the UAE, with quick-remit rail
The Central Bank of Egypt has allowed Mashreq to use its KYC protocols in the…
The end of easy credit as banks stress test for a weaker EGP
“In times of crisis, the strength of a bank is not measured by its capacity…
CIB CEO Hisham Ezz Al Arab on why Egypt is ready to welcome digital-native banks
“Egypt is at the brink of an inflection point with regulatory momentum, demographic tailwinds, and…
Basic Materials
Downstream industries push back as Egypt considers three-year extension for steel and billet anti-dumping duties
The government seeks to cut 1 mn tons in annual imports to foster local industrial…
Egyptian steel faces a total export freeze to the US under hiked tariffs
A new 29.51% countervailing duty on Egyptian rebar comes on top of an existing 50%…
SCZone to welcome two new projects worth a combined USD 1.3 bn !_StoryHedWeb_! Egypt to welcome two new projects worth a combined USD 1.3 bn
We’ll also see three new cement plants up and running within a year
Al Amal is investing in crop processing facility — and a takeover bid for Zahraa Maadi gets blocked
PLUS: Titan Cement is moving upstream into waste management
Capital Markets
EGP rebounds as EGX gains; inflation remains on the rise
☀️ Top of the morning to ya, folks. It’s been an intense week, but we…
Ceasefire optimism triggers EGX30 rally and EGP recovery
The EGP gained around 2.5% on the greenback by the times bank tellers shut up…
Egypt pivots to broader private sector role in revised state ownership policy to be released next month
Companies earmarked for divestment will be merged with others in the same sector to create…
What the markets are doing on 9 April 2026
The EGX30 rose 1.0% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 7.8 bn (16.4% above…
Climate
Citystars, Park St., Sky Innovo partner on USD 1.9 bn project
Plus: EBRD considers financing Amea Power energy storage rollout
Orascom Construction, Engie, Toyota Tsusho sign PPA for 900 MW wind farm in Egypt’s Ras Shokeir
The new development will bring the consortium’s total wind capacity in Egypt to around 1.8…
Gabal El Zeit deal nears finish line with USD 416 mn valuation
Final signatures are expected later this month
EGP slides amid talk of incoming US attack on Iran
Good morning, friends. We bring the first full workweek of Ramadan to a close with…
Commodities
Egypt to buy all gas from Cyprus’ Aphrodite field under new pipeline agreements
Newly established company Aphrodite Midstream will lead the construction of the gas pipeline
Egypt pays credibility tax to keep its energy hub dreams viable
By allowing LNG cargoes to depart from Idku, the government is honoring existing contracts even…
What does a two-week ceasefire mean for Egypt?
Good morning, friends. The shift in mood is stark this morning after the overnight announcement…
Egypt faces triple deficit trap as regional risks mount
With remittances accounting for 5.6% of GDP, decreased economic activity in the GCC cut pressure…
Construction
New entry rules for Egyptian contractors eyeing Saudi SAR 200 bn project pipeline
As Riyadh targets 305k new homes by 2034, first-tier Egyptian contractors are being fast-tracked to…
Finance Ministry to launch real estate tax app in April
Plus: Eni plans USD 2 bn investment push, Orascom Development and Rameda report 2025 earnings,…
CCC Egypt acquires AluNile to drive facade and building materials growth
AluNile will continue operating as a standalone company serving a broad client base, including competitors
Nassef Sawiris to step down as OCI Global executive chair amid merger freeze
Sawiris will officially leave the role as of the company’s next annual general meeting
Development Finance
Cost of fueling Egypt’s power grid doubles to EGP 60 bn in the last two months
Good morning, wonderful people and welcome back from the extended holiday. It’s a heavy news…
World Bank maintains its growth forecast for Egypt
Good morning, friends. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since the announcement of a…
IBF & Company doubles down on logistics with Techno Metal acquisition
Plus: Lucky lands USD 23 mn in Series B round, Madinet Masr launches Day 2…
East Port Said port receives MV Paroship, the largest of its kind to dock at Egyptian terminals
Good morning, all, and happy hump day. We have another packed issue for you this…
E-commerce
Converted acquires Egyptian fashion platform Mitcha
“For me, the decision was about finding the right partner to scale what we built…
UPDATE: AWS signals its Mideast services aren’t coming back online soon after taking three drone strikes
Amazon is telling clients to move services out of the Middle East for now
Flextock raises USD 12.6 mn, aiming to streamline MENA e-commerce logistics
The firm will use the proceeds to expand its operational footprint in Egypt and Saudi…
Fresh capital for Nargis as Mubadala deepens Egypt play
Plus: Arcius wagers USD 150 mn on Mediterranean exploration
Education
Qualiphi looks to scale its Egypt + Gulf footprint with Career Club acquisition
Qualiphi acquires Career Club to build the region’s Arabic-first career platform Career services platform Qualiphi…
TMG, EEP to set up Noor City university
PLUS: Madinet Masr’s Safe Real Estate Investment Fund received final approval to begin operations
CIRA Education’s normalized net income rose 95% y-o-y in 1Q FY 2025-26
Plus: IFC extends USD 220 mn green financing to Banque Misr, Abwaab acquires Apex Education,…
Meet Tribe founder Roba El Gindy
“Tribe is the village that it takes to raise a child”
Energy
EGP rebounds, EGX in the green: How Om el Donia is reacting to the US-Iran two-week ceasefire
Good afternoon, ladies and gents. It’s a relatively lighter day in Om El Donia as…
F&B operators scramble to re-engineer Egyptian nightlife culture in the face of energy constraints
Cairo is a city that doesn’t sleep — or at least it wasn’t until about…
Egypt secures Libyan crude to compensate for Hormuz Strait closure disruptions
Turning to Libyan barrels to cut shipping costs and reduce supply chain risk
Israeli gas flows return to pre-war levels following Leviathan restart
Good morning, all. It seems that most of us working from home yesterday did little…
Finance
Miga guarantee unlocks USD 313 mn for National Bank of Egypt trade finance
Plus: Incolease taps securitization market with debut EGP 2 bn issuance
EGX kicks off first day of futures trading on the EGX
The rollout includes 3- and 6-month future contracts tracking the EGX 30 index
The second phase of industrial financing program is here with bigger caps + new KPIs
The second phase of the program will see borrowing limits hiked to EGP 100-150 mn
Retail investors now have direct access to five EFG Hermes mutual funds
The move is the latest step in EFG Hermes’ push to build One into a…
Fintech
Instapay hits profitability as demand keeps up one year into 0.1% transaction fee
Instapay has also become the bridge between bank accounts and mobile network operator-run e-wallets, representing…
Banks set for acquisition rush as CBE scraps 40% ownership cap for financial companies
The CBE will by extension see its oversight of these companies increase as banks increase…
Telda moves into investing with zero-fee stock trading
Telda claims users can sell a position and immediately spend that liquidity via their card…
How Egypt’s fintech players can own the digital Eidiya evolution
💸 Eid traditions in Egypt (and the region) have held strong for centuries, from the…
Food
Where to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between this Easter
🍽️🍃 If you’re staying in Cairo this weekend, why not restaurant hop your way across…
Pizza perfected at Maadi’s Dough Party
We like a menu that’s straightforward and doesn’t confuse. And we love the fact that…
Downtown Cairo’s Samak Laban offers everything, everywhere, all at once
“Samak, laban, we tamr hindi” — the idiom rang a bell, but it wasn’t until…
New Cairo’s Berro’s at The Nox is all we could wish for in a Mediterranean eatery
🍴 Berro’s is easy to miss… we walked past it twice as we strolled through…
Healthcare
How ultra-processed foods are reshaping the brains of future generations
As the healthcare crisis continues, several countries have begun to break the link between marketing…
What you need to know about pre-iftar workouts during Ramadan
Whether you are strength training or doing cardio, it’s a good idea to modify your…
Egypt moves to offer up 62 hospital investment projects to private sector in major healthcare overhaul
Investment prospects include Galala Hospital, Sheikh Zayed Specialized Hospital, Agouza Hospital, and New Alamein Hospital
Gov’t goes all in on healthcare expansion with new incentives
Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to the start of another workweek. We hope you had…
Infrastructure
Egypt inks agreements for USD 740 mn worth of new fertilizer projects
Plus: A USD 250 mn fix for Egypt’s pharma packaging bottleneck
Ain Sokhna Port moves to fully automated exports to fast-track shipments
The fully digital platform replaces paper-based processes, which have historically caused clearance delays and increased…
Egypt tenders five Sinai logistics zones to push overland route alternatives to disrupted shipping routes
The push comes as shipping disruptions are pushing shipping agents and freight forwarders to establish…
Saudi crude fuel exports via Egypt’s Sumed pipeline unaffected by Yanbu strike
The Sumed pipeline is operating at its maximum capacity of some 2.5 mn bbl /…
Hospitality + Tourism
Dragon Oil places USD 3 bn on Gulf of Suez revival
Plus: PRE Group plans 10k-key hospitality expansion through global partnerships
Your guide to spending a weekend in Siwa
🌴🧳 Looking to escape C-town for the weekend and tired of the usual destinations? Located…
New energy-saving measures and operating hour restrictions go into effect tomorrow
🌤️ Good morning, friends, and congratulations on making it to the weekend. Grab your favorite…
Double jet fuel prices force Egyptian airlines to rethink network economics
Fuel costs — which have now doubled in a matter of weeks — typically account…
Law
Chambers and Partners is out with its 2026 list of Egypt’s top arbitration litigators
Youssef + Partners’ Karim Youssef was awarded the top title of Star Individual
ADSERO-Ragy Soliman & Partners taps Rehan El Bashary as partner and head of VC and startups
El Bashary brings over 16 years of experience in the venture capital landscape
Karim Azmi joins Zaki Hashem as partner
The veteran regional lawyer brings decades of experience to the firm
Foreign reserves jump to USD 51.5 bn in December
PLUS- Turkey’s AS Tekstil signed a USD 4.1 mn contract to establish a production facility…
Manufacturing
Local billet production can meet local demand, even without new production licenses, says Ezz Steel
Egypt imported some 4.7% of the world’s traded billets in 2024, amounting to some 2.6…
Egas and Arcius ink USD 500 mn FID for Harmattan gas field development
Plus: EBRD funds local fertilizer expansion, first Egyptian killed in regional war
Egypt mulls flexible gas pricing to shield the state from wartime import shocks
While an immediate reaction to the war, the shift to a flexible, market-linked pricing model…
Egypt greenlights three-year steel and billet anti-dumping duties despite downstream industry pushback
Imports of the targeted products add USD 1 bn to annual FX outflows
Media
The one-dimensional portrayal of Iran and its impact on the war
“Iranian civil society has always found ways of reasserting itself and manifesting its ingenuity, but…
How AI is rewriting the rules of production in Egypt
The real conflict isn’t man vs. machine, it’s a clash between two eras
Revamp of entertainment tax to spare cinema, theater from tax increases
Not everyone in the entertainment sector will be spared, with tax increases for certain types…
Meet Peace Cake’s Marwan Imam
Peace Cake is one of Egypt’s leading digital production agencies — and then some
Microfinance
Egypt builds a state-backed shipping bridge to East Africa
Plus: Tamweely gets an EGP 250 mn boost for youth lending
A regulator for logistics zones, an uptick in remittances, and a Taj-branded Continental Hotel
PLUS: IEE is acquiring two smart infrastructure companies
El Sisi ratifies new Criminal Procedures Law
PLUS- Foreign Minister Badr Abdelaty met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara yesterday
Edge Holding to acquire 30% of Basata Microfinance
Edge will take on management duties to support Basata’s nationwide expansion
Mining
Gold is nearing bear market territory as more headwinds weigh on outlook
Traditional 60/40 portfolio sees its worst month since September 2022
Crowded trades reverse as metals plunge and USD gains
The gold and silver rout raised concerns over momentum-driven markets
Precious metals slump amidst intense sell-off
Good afternoon, friends. It’s a quiet Monday afternoon both at home and abroad, save for…
Mining stocks are winning as AI boosts demand for metals
Demand for metals is increasingly decoupling from traditional economic cycles
NBFS
Banknbox and ASD Smart aim to bridge Sudan’s isolated banking apps by 2026
Plus: Schneider Electric, Zerotech, and AOI to assemble data center units locally, Breadfast raises USD…
Financial Regulatory Authority makes life and disability ins. mandatory for all customer finance loans
Consumer finance players, already battling high interest rates and inflation, must now bake ins. premiums…
Kadmar adds to Ain Sokhna’s storage capacity
PLUS- GB Lease and Factoring closes its largest securitization bond issuance yet
Valu gets regulatory green light to start operations in Jordan
Former Jordanian Investment Minister Mothanna Gharaibeh will serve as chairman of Valu Jordan
Outsourcing
Deloitte Innovation Hub has big investment plans for Egypt
PLUS- Almarai subsidiary Beyti inaugurated five new production lines at its Nubaria factory
39 global digital services providers look to use Egypt as their main base of operations
Offshoring export revenues have doubled from USD 2.4 bn in 2022 to USD 4.8 bn…
Foundever opens customer experience center in Luxor
PLUS- Denmark’s Scan Global Logistics launches a new head office in Cairo
BP inks MoU to drill five gas wells in the Mediterranean
PLUS- Homegrown Prime Group and Oman’s Afouq have launched an artificial intelligence and advanced technologies…
Private Equity
Global private equity activity slows down due to AI-related risks, geopolitical tensions
Buyout activity dropped by 36% q-o-q to USD 172 bn in 1Q 2026, while exits…
Private capital hasn’t frozen in MENA — but the exit playbook could change if the war drags on
PE and VC-backed companies were already pivoting to local exchanges before the war. That wager…
AI will likely widen existing wealth gaps, Larry Fink warns in annual letter
Absent for the second year in a row from Fink’s letter: ESG and climate
Private equity’s liquidity crunch persists, with USD 3.8 tn in assets still waiting for exit
Transaction and exit values rebounded in 2025, but distributions remain stuck near crisis-era lows
Real Estate
FinMin to waive backdated property taxes on unregistered units
Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to the start of a fresh, new workweek — and…
EGX-listed Edita saw its net income jump 73% in 2025
PLUS- TMG and CI Capital real estate fund hits EGP 8 bn target on day…
Abu Dhabi’s ADQ moves closer to consolidating Egypt port stakes
Plus: Mopco sees net income drop 25% y-o-y in 2025 despite sales surge
Transport Ministry moves to claw back land value gains with LRT betterment fees
Chinese loans of USD 345 mn and an EGP 1 bn betterment fee will lay…
SMEs
How to be a better leader with IFC Division Director Cheick-Oumar Sylla
One thing that is very important to me is this: don’t let people think you…
EBRD continues Egypt MSME push with targeted USD 50 mn facility
The facility includes a USD 20 mn credit line under the Youth in Business program
Cairopolitan is the homegrown brand redefining what an Egyptian souvenir can be
How Cairopolitan is capturing the essence of the city through iconic designs that encapsulate and…
How homegrown brands are reimagining Egyptian footwear production
Homegrown brands like Sole22 and Twin Flame are reimagining Egypt’s footwear sector by bridging the…
Sports
This weekend: Zamalek in Confederation Cup, El Clásico rivals in La Liga, and Nile League fixtures
⚽ It’s the weekend, folks, and we all know what that means: a schedule packed…
Champions League fever continues: All-Spanish clash at Camp Nou; Liverpool travels to Paris
⚽ The Champions League action continues tonight with a slate of heavyweight quarterfinal first-leg fixtures.…
Giants meet in Madrid while the Red Devils hunt points at home
⚽ It’s a very good day to be a football fan as the Champions League…
Tonight: Napoli and AC Milan face off in a Serie A round 31 clash.
⚽ It’s a relatively quiet day on the pitch, headlined by an Italian heavyweight clash…
Tech
Artemis II heads home as the global race for space resources heats up
This is more than just a tech demo. Artemis II is a foundational step toward…
My Morning Routine: Nancy Madbouly, co-founder and CTO at Nanovate
“I see myself as an entrepreneur, and I’ve always been one. I worked on a…
Reported startup funding hit a wartime wall in Egypt, but VCs are still writing checks in the shadows
It was a similar story for the continent as a whole, with African startups raising…
Mapping the ripple effects of the war on MENA venture capital -Magnitt
The region’s venture pipeline is vulnerable to retreating, shock-sensitive international capital
Telecoms
Guardian Glass wants to cut your building electricity bill by nearly half with glass factory planned for Egypt
Plus: Telecom Egypt, GB Corp report 2025 earnings
Sawiris Foundation aims to equip 100k Egyptians with digital skills
The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development is looking to equip over 100k young Egyptians with…
Mobile prices rise as much as 20% as AI chip demand triggers manufacturing cost increases
In response to a 50% rise in the cost of local production inputs since the…
Egypt’s decision to follow Australia's lead in the war on underage scrolling comes under the spotlight
The House announced earlier this week that it will develop legislation to “put an end…
Trade + Logistics
Customs overhaul targets 75% reduction in export clearance times
Happy hump day, folks — and welcome back. It should come as no surprise that…
Egypt opens a fresh Europe to Gulf transit corridor via Damietta
PLUS: Egypt and Cyprus inked a framework agreement, which sets the stage for more agreements…
Egypt kicks off trial for new Advance Cargo Information system
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and happy hump day. It’s another (unsurprisingly) busy afternoon in…
Egypt likely to dodge any direct environmental impact from adrift Russian LNG tanker
The Arctic Metagaz was abandoned earlier this month off Libya’s coast after allegedly being attacked…
Transport
Israel’s Arkia Airlines moves flights to Egypt’s Taba to bypass wartime airspace restrictions
Israel’s Arkia shifts some flights to Egypt as airspace tightens Israel’s second-largest airline Arkia Airlines…
Egytrans Nosco and Nafih International partner to set up 167k sqm truck management site in Ain Sokhna
The pair plan to regulate truck traffic using real-time planning and digital yard management platforms
Egypt inks USD 296.5 mn locomotive overhaul deal with Canada’s APD
The 12-year contract covers 55 locomotives currently in service and 125 out-of-operation units
Egypt taps China Exim Bank for CNY LRT loan to bypass USD overreliance
The move is part of a larger move to diversify our creditor base away from…