Broader MEA · updated 24 September 2026
🇪🇬 Doing business in Egypt
Largest Arab economy with 100M+ consumer market.
Conditions are changing fast — check current government travel and trade advisories before acting.
Structural scores
Highlights: Large consumer base · Currency volatility risk · Strategic Suez Canal location
Key industries
Energy & Natural Resources ↑ Growing
Egypt is a significant natural gas producer. Zohr field is Mediterraneans largest. Renewable energy pipeline is growing.
Main investors: Italy, UAE, UK, US
Tourism ↑ Strong growth
Egypt targets 30M visitors by 2028. Antiquities, Red Sea resorts and new mega-projects are driving investment.
Main investors: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Germany, UK
Manufacturing & Industry ↑ Growing
Egypt is building an industrial manufacturing base in automotive, textiles and food processing targeting African exports.
Main investors: China, UAE, Germany, Turkey
Financial Services & Fintech ↑ Rapid growth
Egypt has 100M+ population with low banking penetration creating significant fintech and digital finance opportunity.
Main investors: UAE, Saudi Arabia, US, UK
Sector priorities
- Renewable Energy — Egypt targets 42% renewable energy by 2030. Benban solar park and wind projects creating significant investment pipeline.
- Tourism & Hospitality — New administrative capital and Red Sea resort developments creating significant hotel and hospitality investment demand.
- Fintech & Digital Finance — Central Bank of Egypt fintech sandbox and 60M+ unbanked population creating significant digital finance opportunity.
Talent & work permits
Egypt has one of Africas largest talent pools with 700,000+ university graduates annually. Arabic is primary business language.
- Foreign workers: Work permit required from Ministry of Manpower. Quota based on company size. Process takes 4 to 8 weeks.
- Localisation: Egyptian Labour Law requires minimum 90% Egyptian nationals in company workforce. Exceptions apply for specialist roles.
- Key consideration: Egypt offers highly cost competitive professional talent, particularly in engineering, IT and finance.
How to enter: first four steps
Egypt offers multiple entry structures. General Authority for Investment is the primary entry point for foreign investors.
- Register with GAFI — General Authority for Investment and Free Zones is the one stop shop for foreign investors
- Choose your structure — LLC is most common. Free zone options available for export oriented businesses
- Register with Egyptian Tax Authority — corporate tax at 22.5% applies. VAT registration required above threshold
- Open EGP and USD bank accounts — dual currency accounts essential given FX management requirements
Indicative cost: 10-person team
Professional-services mix (1 senior, 5 professional, 2 admin, 2 support), Grade-A office, registration, legal, audit and tax compliance. Model estimate, not a quote. Model your own team size and industry →
Regulatory watch
- Feb 2026 · IMF Programme Review Passed — Egypt successfully completed fourth IMF programme review unlocking next tranche of funding. FX stability improving with interbank rate stabilising around EGP 48-50 per USD.
Compare with Broader MEA peers
Common questions
Is Egypt a good market to enter in 2026?
Egypt scores 5.7/10 on EmergingMarketIQ’s structural index (risk: High). Largest Arab economy with 100M+ consumer market. Current-conditions score: 5.2/10 (Suez Canal revenues rebounded in August 2026 (US$567m vs US$326m a year earlier) as trade reroutes away from Hormuz. On 13 Sep 2026 the Houthis took control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline including Perim Island, effectively controlling the Bab al-Mandeb strait — a renewed risk to Red Sea and Suez traffic. EGP around 51 per USD.) — updated 24 September 2026.
How much does it cost to set up a 10-person office in Egypt?
Our cost model estimates about US$446k for the first year (≈US$35k per month run-rate plus ≈US$14k one-off setup) for a 10-person professional-services team. Indicative only.
What are the first steps to set up a company in Egypt?
Register with GAFI — General Authority for Investment and Free Zones is the one stop shop for foreign investors Then: Choose your structure — LLC is most common. Free zone options available for export oriented businesses Then: Register with Egyptian Tax Authority — corporate tax at 22.5% applies. VAT registration required above threshold Then: Open EGP and USD bank accounts — dual currency accounts essential given FX management requirements
Source: EmergingMarketIQ country dataset — current conditions, alerts, GDP (World Bank 2025) and FX updated 24 September 2026; structural scores reviewed 24 September 2026. Rules, rates and conditions change — verify with local counsel before acting. Not legal, tax or investment advice.