🇪🇬EgyptNorth Africa
Egypt's trade deficit rises 87.5% to $5.1 billion in February 2026
via Egypt Today1 min read
Egypt's trade deficit significantly increased by 87.5 percent year-on-year in February 2026, reaching $5.1 billion, up from $2.7 billion in February 2025. This surge was reported by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. Exports saw an 11.6 percent decline, totaling $4.2 billion, primarily due to reduced exports of fertilizers, plastics in primary forms, potatoes, and crude oil. However, some export categories experienced growth, including petroleum products, fresh fruits, ready-made garments, and food pastes. Concurrently, imports grew by 24.7 percent to $9.3 billion, driven by higher purchases of natural gas, iron and steel raw materials, wheat, and copper products. Conversely, imports of petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, passenger cars, and plastics in primary forms decreased.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
The Cabinet’s Media Center has released a report detailing Egypt's integrated state strategy to enhance youth awareness of non-banking financial activities and foster an investment culture. This initiative aims to equip a new generation with the skills to navigate modern investment tools, improve living standards, and increase national economic participation through financial inclusion. Educational efforts have expanded significantly since 2022, including three cooperation protocols signed in February 2022 with the ministries of youth, higher education, and education to promote financial literacy. Digital platforms like "I-invest," launched in September 2025 as Egypt's first digital hub for non-banking financial awareness, offer educational videos and daily investment fund price updates. The "Mahfazti" podcast, introduced in November 2025, targets Gen Z with simplified financial advice. A key development in April 2026 was a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Education, Hiroshima University, and Japan’s Sprix to integrate financial literacy into Egyptian schools using the Test of Fundamental Academic Skills TOFAS. This partnership will allow second-year secondary students to engage with financial literacy on an AI platform, with passing students registered on the Egyptian Exchange EGX and provided with a 500 EGP funded portfolio. Between 2022 and March 2026, 77,266 individuals benefited from Financial Regulatory Authority FRA awareness programs, including the
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a meeting in the New Capital to discuss strategies for bolstering Egypt's tourism sector amidst regional challenges. The meeting included ministers of tourism and civil aviation, as well as banking and petroleum officials, and focused on increasing tourist arrivals and improving entry/exit procedures at all ports. Madbouly stressed the importance of continuous service enhancements for visitors. Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy reported that Egypt's stability has positively influenced arrival rates, with 2025 showing a 21% growth over 2024, and early 2026 continuing this upward trend with a 20% monthly growth. Support initiatives include private sector collaboration and ensuring consistent airline flights. The 2026 promotional plan involves international exhibitions, tourism convoys, and managing Egypt's global image through real tourist experiences. The ministry is also prioritizing joint promotional campaigns and addressing misinformation in global markets.
Must ReadThe Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality EOS, in collaboration with the African Organization for Standardization Africa 2008, has launched the first program in Egypt to award the African Sustainable Medical Tourism Label. This initiative aims to enhance the quality of medical and logistical services across Africa. Dr. Khaled Soufy, head of EOS, stated that the program reflects Egypt's commitment to establishing quality and sustainability standards, building an integrated system to support medical institutions and spas, and improving their global competitiveness. He added that unifying national standards with African and international counterparts is crucial for positioning Egypt as a leading medical tourism destination, ensuring high-quality, efficient, and sustainable services. The Certification Unit for Operations and Services at the Authority oversees the review, evaluation, and certification process, ensuring adherence to African standards based on international specifications and boosting confidence among international insurance companies and medical tourism organizers. Dr. Heba Saad, Director of the Certification Unit, noted that the label offers institutions expanded opportunities in regional and international markets through listing on the African Organization for Standardization's platforms, improves operational efficiency, and enhances international credibility by demonstrating commitment to patient protection, environmental and social responsibilit
Hashem El-Sayed, Assistant to the Prime Minister and CEO of the State-Owned Enterprises Unit, announced that eight more state-owned companies are being prepared for listing on the Egyptian Exchange. This is part of the government's ongoing IPO program, which initially aimed to offer around 20 companies. To date, 12 companies have already been listed, with an additional 10 companies from the petroleum sector also in preparation for listing. The listed firms include those in chemical industries, metallurgical industries, and construction and development. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reiterated the government's commitment to strengthening private sector participation, with the IPO program being a central part of this strategy. Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom highlighted Egypt's cooperation plan with the World Bank, focusing on supporting small-scale farmers, generating agricultural employment, and advancing technology, alongside restructuring state-owned enterprises. Osama El-Gohary, Head of the Information and Decision Support Center, reviewed updates to the State Ownership Policy Document, which clarifies the state's future role across sectors and integrates investor feedback. El-Sayed also outlined a new methodology for managing the IPO program, which includes classifying and governing state-owned companies, ensuring readiness for listing, appointing external auditors, and engaging independent advisors for fair valuations. This approach aims to e