Egypt Edition 
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MENA <> India Corridor 
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
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…
My Morning Routine: Maged El Tawil, creator of Cars by Maged
When I started the channel, I had maybe 50 subscribers, and they were all family…
Bonyan, TMG report 2025 earnings
PLUS- Egypt moves up the automotive value chain with USD 100 mn Himile factory
Banking
Majority of analysts see Central Bank of Egypt keeping rates on hold as wartime pressures build
Will the CBE put its easing cycle on ice tomorrow? A majority of analysts and…
Miga guarantee unlocks USD 313 mn for National Bank of Egypt trade finance
Plus: Incolease taps securitization market with debut EGP 2 bn issuance
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…
Egypt continues to issue LCs as usual
LCs continue to be processed — albeit after closer inspection to verify documentation
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
What the markets are doing on 1 April 2026
The EGX30 rose 3.1% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 6.3 bn (3.4% below…
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,…
What the markets are doing on 31 March 2026
The EGX30 rose 0.3% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 7.2 bn (9.9% above…
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…
Climate
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…
Qatar’s Al Mana Holding to invest USD 15.6 mn in biodiesel plant
Plus: Petroleum Marine Services plans UAE expansion, Astra Rise taps Rotana to manage EGP 4…
Commodities
Gov’t mulls flexible natural gas pricing for industrial sectors
🃏Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and happy (almost) weekend — and April Fools. Today, we’re…
Egypt’s El Sisi calls on Trump to end the war
Good morning, all. It’s another morning with the regional war and its impact on us…
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…
Israeli state of emergency extension pushes back restart of Leviathan exports to Egypt
Prior to the shut-off, Leviathan was utilizing its newly expanded 1.2 bcf/d capacity to supply…
Construction
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
Hassan Allam’s Grova Developments swaps local roots for a regional footprint in Riyadh with SAR 3.3 bn project
The project will feature more than 3k units across 228k sqm in Riyadh.
Cyprus agrees to foot the entire USD 2 bn bill for the Aphrodite pipeline
Plus: Orascom Construction sees revenues and net income rise in 2025
Development Finance
Egypt secures USD 220 mn Japanese loan to back budget, private sector reforms
Meanwhile, Egypt-Jordan power link eyes 5x capacity boost as regional energy play accelerates
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
Egypt faces 15 June deadline to meet divestment targets to pass Fund’s seventh review
Egypt’s seventh review under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) is now just 78 days…
EBRD hints at likely growth downgrade as Egypt ranks as its fourth most war vulnerable regions
For net-energy importers like Egypt, the real concern is that this war and energy disruptions…
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
Early closing hours pile pressure on cafes and shops
Small customer-facing businesses are already feeling the hit, with one cafe owner telling the AP…
Israel extends gas state of emergency + war fallout weighs on Egypt's GDP
Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to your first full workweek in… well, a while. The…
Cabinet mandates WFH Sundays for private and public sectors in April to cut down energy use
Good morning, friends and welcome to a new workweek. We are still trying to register…
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…
Finance
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…
Alexbank, Blu EV launch EV microfinancing, HAP’s big investment push, and Beltone’s Moroccan ticket
Plus: TotalEnergies and Nissan Egypt team up to manufacture oils, Hallan Allam Properties eyes KSA…
Fintech
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…
El Araby eyes export growth through USD 480 mn factory push
Plus: Fawry, Ibnsina Pharma, E-finance release 2025 earnings
Bahrain’s Beban eyes Egypt launch with equity crowdfunding model
Mohamed Aboulnaga’s Foras AI raises stake as Beban seeks FRA approval
Food
Ahwak Salon de Thé: A vintage Zamalek gem that still delivers
🍴 Newly opened eateries often enjoy the novelty of creative marketing campaigns, from reel-style ads…
A batch made in heaven: Molly’s Bakery is the perfect midday cure for workplace blues
With the glitz and experience of an established franchise, baked in with the homey feel…
The aeons-old offering: What kahk can teach us about product sustainability
🍪📈 Over the past few days, our kitchens have quietly witnessed the departure of basbousas,…
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…
Healthcare
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…
DPI and Alameda seal their agreement, eyeing local and regional expansion
The funds will support Alameda's operational expansion, investment in medical technologies, and service upgrades
Infrastructure
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 /…
LVP Pharma becomes Rameda’s largest shareholder with 23.2% share
Plus: EU Commission earmarks EUR 8 mn in wartime relief, desalination plant PPPs
Egypt seeks new investors for Berenice and Nuweiba ports
On land, the ministry is also rolling out a string of integrated logistics zone projects…
Rising import costs are squeezing Egypt’s pharma industry
Production costs could climb by 30% over the next three months if exchange rate pressures…
Hospitality + Tourism
Double jet fuel prices force Egyptian airlines to rethink network economics
Fuel costs — which have now doubled in a matter of weeks — typically account…
Tourism operators call for low-interest loans as regional war drives 20% drop in bookings
Margins are being squeezed for tourism companies, who face not just the prospect of lower…
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…
Egypt’s high-end holiday stays continue to catch the attention of the int’l press
In a refreshing break from the war, Le Monde and the Financial Times are both…
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
Egyptian engineering firms tap safety stocks as aluminum prices soar
Manufacturers face a turning point as low-cost aluminum inventories run dry, forcing them to purchase…
Gov’t slashes factory pre-lease wait to one year in bid to revive idle production lines
Companies looking to sell their factories outright will still have to wait three years, with…
My Morning Routine: Zeinab Hassaan, CEO of Egyptian Spinning & Weaving Company
Growing up in Mit Ghamr, Dakahlia, school trips to local spinning factories sparked a lifelong…
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…
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
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
Beltone Holding rolls out private equity platform
The platform will be led by Beltone Venture Capital CEO Ali Mokhtar
Inside Tanmiya Capital Ventures and Egypt’s private equity market with Managing Partner Mohamed Mahgoub
TCV closed Fund II in December 2024
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…
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…
Polaris Parks looks to attract USD 2 bn in clean industry investments in planned New Capital industrial zone
Heavy industry will be off limits to avoid a detrimental effect on the wider city
SMEs
How homegrown brands are reimagining Egyptian footwear production
Homegrown brands like Sole22 and Twin Flame are reimagining Egypt’s footwear sector by bridging the…
On Ramadan and the art of gatherings with food entrepreneur Yasmine El Gharably
“The best iftars are the ones that linger, with everyone relaxed and sitting around the…
CBE greenlights full rollout of soft POS, turning smartphones into payment terminals
Following a two-year pilot phase that had restricted contactless payment transactions to EGP 600
Central Bank of Egypt cuts SME default grace period to 90 days
The decision came into effect this month
Sports
Historic qualification for Iraq and a disappointing absence for Italy — the World Cup lineup is here
⚽ Following the conclusion of the playoff matches, six teams have secured their spots in…
Egypt and Spain face off in tonight’s friendly
⚽ A number of high-stakes showdowns kick off today in the European playoff finals for…
Tonight: Germany and Ghana take the field in a friendly face-off
⚽ The friendly face-off we’re tuning into tonight will see Germany and Ghana go head-to-head…
France and Colombia take the field tonight in a friendly face-off
⚽ The international friendly schedule continues today, headlined by France vs. Colombia at 9pm, airing…
Tech
Everything you need to know about AUC CultureFest 2026
Set to run this weekend, this year’s edition explores the intersection of heritage and technology
Renergy Group Partners floats USD 1 bn data center in Sinai
Good morning, friends, and welcome to the last workday of Ramadan. While it remains unclear…
Insuring the boom: The missing piece of the AI infrastructure puzzle
Possible disruptions, coupled with a lack of ins. coverage, is positioning funding data centers at…
Silicon Valley split as Anthropic sues Trump admin over Claude ban
Anthropic is suing the DoD after being blacklisted for refusing military AI use. As OpenAI…
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
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…
Egypt is emerging as a key gateway for trade flows
Red Sea ports are experiencing significant pressure amid a surge in sea-to-land transit routes
Gulf transshipments get ACI waiver to help bypass Hormuz Strait closure squeeze
Good morning, friends. Whether in the international business press or in the pages of EnterpriseAM,…
Transport
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…
Alexandria Metro works begin as ministry eyes New Abu Qir high-speed rail link
The Institute for Transport and Development Policy’s consulting arm LGIT will serve as advisor for…