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Trump again says he’s backing Egypt on Gerd
Coffee with EGX boss | Slashing arrears | NowPay lands in Saudi | More changes to VAT?
Thursday, 22 January 2026
Resolving the Gerd dispute?
Good morning, friends, and happy THURSDAY to you all. We’ve got a particularly packed issue for you this morning, starting with a rundown on President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s appearance at the World Economic Forum yesterday with Donald Trump.
The highlights: Trump made it clearer than ever that he’s siding with us on Gerd.
Today at a Glance
Podcasts
Morning Drive is your daily download of the essential headlines shaping Egypt. Hosted by ‘Synthetic Salma’ — an AI-powered version of Executive Editor Salma El-Saeed.
PlaylistListen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Investment Watch
M&A Watch
Explore EnterpriseAM for your industry
A close look at key activities driving headlines across industries
Privatization Watch
Gov’t to end privatisation hiatus with two companies set to debut on EGX next month
Good afternoon, folks, and happy hump day. Today’s issue brings…
Privatization to pick up steam in 1Q 2026 as stock market incentive package nears completion
The exact dates are still being finalized, taking into account the year-end close and the rollout of the new stock market incentive…
Newsmakers
EGX boss on who will IPO next
EGX is launching two new tech products including a mobile app and a simulation tool
My Morning Routine
Generosity from Canada + network quality awards for Vodafone Egypt
Plus: Vodafone Egypt gets another award for network quality
Spotlight
Regulation
Legislation Watch
House approves in principle cabinet’s bill seeking to amend Education Law
The Education Committee previously approved amendments to the Education Law…
Regulation Watch
El Sisi shuffles central bank board, appointing three new subject-matter experts
Sherif Kamel, Ali Faramawy retain seats for another year
Cabinet Watch
Garghoub is now a Special Economic Zone — here is what that means for investors
Plus: A major overhaul at GOEIC to slash customs times
Ittihadiya
El Sisi, Trump meet up on the sidelines of Davos
Egypt accepted an invitation from the US to join the…
Startup Watch
NowPay lands in KSA with USD 20 mn JV with Tas’heel
KSA is witnessing “accelerating demand for modern payroll, HR, and fintech infrastructure,” NowPay CEO Mostafa Ashour tells us
Meet our founders of the week: Knot Technologies’ Ahmed Abdalla and Hussein ElBendak
Knot is building its AI-native ticketing and access control infrastructure out of Egypt for…
Meet Tribe founder Roba El Gindy
“Tribe is the village that it takes to raise a child”
Industries
Banking
The CBE is taking a tougher stance on regulation
Last summer, HSBC paid the CBE a EGP 1.4 bn…
Finance
Two-speed China: exports fly, corporate profits lag
China generated a USD 1.2 tn trade surplus in 2025,…
Capital Markets
Futures trading to land on the EGX in March
Futures contracts will first debut on the EGX30 before eventually…
Fintech
FRA approves GRANITE’s planned multi-currency fixed-income fund
GRANITE is also getting ready to launch fully digital money…
Climate
We’re tackling the missing piece in our renewables strategy: Batteries
Without a real focus on energy storage, Egypt’s efforts to…
Automotive
New tariff plan aims to tip the scales in favor of local EV assembly
But while full exemptions for EVs may soon be a…
Energy
Oil Ministry is working overtime to ensure we see an uptick in natgas production
The ministry is launching two international exploration tenders this year
Infrastructure
Gov’t to relaunch stalled water desalination PPPs in December
The tender’s first batch will include two to four water…
Manufacturing
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…
Mining
Egypt to host a pan-African gold bank under MoU with Afreximbank
Good morning, friends, and happy new year. It’s been a…
Thursday, 22 January 2026
Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to the start of a fresh new workweek.
Besides the biting cold, kicking the week off is news that derivatives trading is finally within reach. Also today: Trump slaps tariffs on eight NATO members, we dig into why some F&B brands are ditching influencer marketing, and we explore how Egypt’s pharma sector is moving beyond fill-and-finish.
Today at a Glance
Friday, 23 January 2026
Good morning, friends. Welcome to the weekend.
It’s been a busy week — the phone import exemption is officially over, derivatives trading got the green light, and Trump walked back tariff threats after rattling global markets. You can catch up on all the headlines below. And if you’re craving a break from them, read down even farther.
Feeling the pull of the great outdoors? This week’s guide to rural escapes in and around Cairo has everything from farm day-visits to wellness retreats just a short drive from Cairo — no passport required.
