Broader MEA · current conditions as of 11 October 2026 · fundamentals reviewed 16 October 2026
🇪🇬 Doing business in Egypt
Largest Arab economy with 100M+ consumer market.
Long-term risk: High
Current alert: Elevated
Suez Canal revenue is rebounding as trade reroutes away from Hormuz, and Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd plan to resume a Suez service from 27 Oct. But the Houthis seized the Bab al-Mandeb coastline on 10–11 Sep; Yemeni government forces reportedly retook Perim Island on 9 Oct, so the situation is fluid.
Suez Canal revenues rebounded in mid-2026 (August US$567m vs US$326m a year earlier) as trade reroutes away from Hormuz, and major container lines plan to resume Suez routing from late October. On 10–11 Sep 2026 the Houthis took control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline including Perim Island; Yemeni government forces launched a counter-offensive on 5 Oct and reportedly retook Perim on 9 Oct. EGP around 52 per USD.
Conditions change fast. Check current government travel and trade advisories before acting.
What makes up the long-term score
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.
Summarised from our dataset and not yet linked to sources. Verify with local counsel before acting.
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 team (1 senior manager, 5 professionals, 2 admin, 2 support), Grade A office, registration, legal, audit and tax compliance. Model estimate, not a quote.
First year by industry (10 people)
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
Tap a market to see it side by side with Egypt.
Common questions
Is Egypt a good market to enter in 2026?
Egypt has a long-term score of 5.7/10 on EmergingMarketIQ’s index (long-term risk: High) and scores 5.2/10 now, as of 11 October 2026. Largest Arab economy with 100M+ consumer market. Suez Canal revenues rebounded in mid-2026 (August US$567m vs US$326m a year earlier) as trade reroutes away from Hormuz, and major container lines plan to resume Suez routing from late October. On 10–11 Sep 2026 the Houthis took control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline including Perim Island; Yemeni government forces launched a counter-offensive on 5 Oct and reportedly retook Perim on 9 Oct. EGP around 52 per USD.
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; depending on industry the range is US$354k–US$501k. 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 and alerts updated 11 October 2026; GDP (World Bank 2025) and FX 24 September 2026; structural scores reviewed 16 October 2026. Rules, rates and conditions change, so verify with local counsel before acting. Not legal, tax or investment advice.