{"id":670697,"date":"2025-08-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/inside_industry\/how-counterfeit-cables-threaten-egyptian-lives-and-the-economy\/"},"modified":"2025-08-24T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T00:00:00","slug":"how-counterfeit-cables-threaten-egyptian-lives-and-the-economy","status":"publish","type":"inside_industry","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/inside_industry\/how-counterfeit-cables-threaten-egyptian-lives-and-the-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"How counterfeit cables threaten Egyptian lives and the economy"},"content":{"rendered":"

? E<\/strong>gypt has seen more than 245k fires since 2020, <\/strong>claiming around 1.13k lives and injuring 4.2k others.<\/strong> One of the biggest culprits, experts warn, is the flood of counterfeit cables on the market \u2014 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\u2019t be solved without comprehensive maintenance of electrical connections and tougher legislation to protect lives and infrastructure.<\/p>\n

By the numbers<\/strong>: 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.<\/p>\n

Rising summer blazes aren\u2019t just about higher temperatures or electricity loads<\/strong>, they reflect what the Cairo Chamber of Commerce\u2019s Exporters Division head Ahmed Zaki calls \u201can imminent threat to Egypt\u2019s economy and commercial stability.\u201d He traces today\u2019s fire crisis back to compounding problems since 2007, pointing to deep weaknesses in the country\u2019s electrical infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The root cause, Zaki tells EnterpriseAM, lies in unlicensed \u201cbackstreet factories<\/strong>\u201d producing substandard cables and electrical gear at half the price of originals. These outfits don\u2019t just ignore safety standards \u2014 they also counterfeit trusted brands, fooling buyers and flooding the market with products that amount to \u201cticking timebombs\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

Genuine cables use copper with 99.99% purity and heat-resistant insulation, ensuring <\/strong>safe operation<\/strong>. Counterfeits, by contrast, use copper at just 96% purity, which overheats dangerously, melts insulation, and sparks short circuits \u2014 the trigger for most fires, Zaki explains.<\/p>\n

El Sewedy, Egypt\u2019s biggest cable maker, says it relies on top-grade raw materials <\/strong>tested with advanced tech to meet international standards. <\/strong>To help customers tell the difference, it\u2019s now using anti-counterfeit coding systems and AI-based product verification, El Sawaf tells us.<\/p>\n

The danger isn\u2019t confined to households<\/strong>, 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<\/a> head Mohamed Bahloul tells EnterpriseAM.<\/p>\n

The government has tightened oversight and updated laws to curb counterfeit <\/strong>products<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

These efforts are giving local industry more credibility and encouraging companies to <\/strong>invest further <\/strong>and expand production to serve both domestic and export markets, El Sawaf added.<\/p>\n

Experts agree on two urgent measures: <\/strong>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 \u2014 to safeguard lives, infrastructure, and the economy against future disasters.<\/p>\n

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