🏭 The Egyptian government’s newly approved increase in industrial land prices by up to 250% has sparked investor concern and backlash from manufacturers. This comes as part of the procedures for industrial land transactions that were introduced by the government in August to unify platform sales and usufruct rights, restricting control on manufacturing changes and ownership transfers. This new system allows the conversion of industrial land from usufruct holding to licensed ownership rights only under specific conditions.

The new pricing will be implemented throughout FY 2025/26, with increases ranging from 10% to 250% depending on location, particularly affecting land in Upper Egypt.

The unification plan: All industrial land transactions must now go through the Egypt Digital Industrial Platform or an application submitted directly to the relevant ministry, with the aim of updating industrial projects to be in regulation with laws and regulations set by the Industrial Development Authority (IDA). The new framework organizes industrial land transactions through two systems based on the land’s status — land under licensed ownership can be valued and paid for at predetermined prices, while land under usufruct rights requires annual payments at specified rates.

Land proprietors are prohibited from transferring ownership or relinquishing usufruct rights until they have:

  • Paid the full land price or resolved all outstanding financial obligations
  • Obtained operating licenses and enrolled in the IDA registry
  • Operated for at least three years
  • Received approval from the IDA

Manufacturing changes are prohibited until after one year of operation, obtaining the necessary licenses, and IDA approval.

Industrial developers will follow procedures and regulations outlined by the IDA, which will issue contract templates with specified payment systems to determine land value and due payments.

Land proprietors may transition from usufruct to licensed ownership after a minimum of three years of manufacturing operations, obtaining the necessary licenses, and registration with the IDA. This also requires paying the determined fees at commercial price after valuation, with previously paid usufruct fees deducted from the amount due.

PRICING DETAILS BY LOCATION-

GREATER CAIRO:

  • New Cairo, Badr, and 15th of May: EGP 5.9k per square meter, EGP 6.5k for youth workshops under licensed ownership, and EGP 325 under usufruct rights (5% of ownership prices)
  • Qatameya: EGP 7.7k per square meter — the highest listed price
  • Sixth of October: EGP 2.9k per square meter — a 25% increase from EGP 2.3k
  • Garza: EGP 1.3k per square meter
  • Tenth of Ramadan: EGP 3-3.3k per square meter — up from EGP 1.7k
  • New Salheya: EGP 1.4k per square meter
  • Obour: EGP 3k per square meter
  • Shorouk: EGP 2-2.5k per square meter

ALEXANDRIA:

  • Borg El Arab: EGP 2.2k per square meter — up from EGP 1.2k
  • New Alamein: EGP 2.7-3.2k per square meter

UPPER EGYPT:

  • Beni Suef: EGP 2k per square meter
  • Kom Abu Radi: EGP 1.9k per square meter
  • New Minya: EGP 1.6k per square meter
  • New Mallawi: EGP 1.8k per square meter
  • New Sohag: EGP 1.9k per square meter
  • New Assiut: EGP 1.6k per square meter

The steepest increases were seen in Upper Egypt, ranging from a 150% hike in New Minya to 150% in Sohag’s Kawthar and Tahta industrial zones.

PAYMENT STRUCTURE-

Land under licensed ownership will have two payment method options:

  • Standard payment: Constituting a 25% down payment, with three equal annual installments with a 15% interest rate. Late payments will incur additional interest in congruence with CBE rates. Completion of the factory and an operating license are required within three years of land receipt.
  • Long-term payment: Constituting a 10% down payment with a two-year grace period for factory completion, then payment of the remaining amount in equal quarterly installments over four years with a 10% interest rate. Two consecutive missed payments will result in a cancelled contract.

Land under usufruct rights will have a fixed annual payment of 5% of ownership price for four years, which will increase to 7% over years 5 and 6 of proprietorship, and plateau at 10% annually throughout the period of usufruction.

Why are we seeing these changes? A government source told EnterpriseAM that the new pricing of industrial land reflects updated infrastructure costs determined in congruence with the New Urban Communities Authority and the IDA, and are not placed to generate income. The source maintains that the government is committed to providing land to investors at minimum cost, despite rising infrastructure expenses and a high demand from both local and international investors. The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) is currently offering industrial land to Chinese and Turkish investors to develop new industrial zones that comply with the new IDA regulations, similar to the Egypt-China Teda project in the Sokhna Industrial Zone.

Existing industry challenges: Despite FX improvements against the USD and increased hard currency availability that has facilitated production, new regulations continue to create investment uncertainty. High financing costs and challenges in raw material imports, operation and construction costs, internal development, and rising energy expenses add to the mounting pressures on the industrial sector, we were told.

Industry pushback: Chamber of Engineering Industries President Mohamed El Mohandes called the decision a surprise to the industrial community, noting that prices have doubled in most areas and seen sharp increases in others, which seem to contradict governmental efforts to prompt local manufacturing. Ayman Reda, director of the Tenth of Ramadan Investors Association said that the high prices require reconsideration, due to the significant industrial expansions currently underway in the region.

A call for support: FEI board member Mohamed El Bahy argues that Egypt has not reached industrial saturation, suggesting that the government should provide the land without charge to promote the development of the sector, especially since building a factory from the ground up takes an average of 2.5 years, and companies need substantial liquidity until they begin production. “We don’t suffer from the land scarcity that would justify price increases,” said El Bahy, adding that “we need more incentives to attract investors.” The board member believes that the price increases in Upper Egypt will obstruct the planned industrial expansions in those governorates, especially considering the additional cost of worker accommodation and transportation.

Your top industrial development stories for the week:

  • Chinese tiremaker Sailun Group broke ground on its USD 1 bn automotive tire plant in the China-Egypt Teda industrial zone within the Sokhna Industrial Zone. The 350k sqm facility will be developed over three years in three phases.
  • Spanish water pump manufacturing firm Hydroo is mulling setting up its firstwater pump factory in the country under a USD 60 mn partnership agreement with the Housing Ministry. The plant will supply pumps for the Hayah Karima rural development program and seawater desalination plants.
  • Pakistani textile manufacturer Interloop Group will set up a USD 35.2 mnready-made garment factory in the Qantara West Industrial Zone, marking the first Pakistani industrial investment in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The project is expected to create more than 1k direct jobs and export 100% of output to international markets.
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