Egypt Industry

Founded by Alexander the Great and famous for its classical history, Alexandria – now Egypt’s second-largest town and the biggest city on the Mediterranean – is also arguably the country’s industrial heart, with around 40% of national industrial activity taking place in and around it.

One of the most important industrial segments, Egypt’s textiles sector is a major employer and source of export revenue. Proving resilient to competition, economic downturns and social unrest in recent years, it thrives on a number of competitive advantages, like favourable trade relations and active government support.

The fast growth in Egypt’s retail sector took a pause in 2011 and early 2012, as political uncertainty following regime change led many retailers to scale back expansion plans. However, the expectation is that once political stability returns, the increased purchasing power of Egypt’s rapidly-growing population is likely to drive expansion once more...

As internet penetration rises and Egyptian consumers seek a growing range of brands, online retailing is expanding. While structural constraints on the segment exist, these are expected to ease in the coming years, and more retailers are tapping into the market.

The market for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) is in some ways a microcosm of Egypt as a country: established but also in flux. Egypt has one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing populations, and this rate of expansion will create new social demands as well as naturally increase the country’s consumer base. The market preserved a double-...

Annual double-digit growth rates have been a regular feature of the Egyptian pharmaceuticals industry, and the country’s compelling demographic dividend offers some of the same benefits to producers as seen in other segments of the economy. However, in 2012 and likely into 2013, the outlook is more modest, as recent challenges since the political...