Egypt’s renewable energy equipment market is worth over $6 billion. Egypt’s Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy aims to increase the share of energy generated from renewables to 42 percent by 2030. However, Egypt is still the largest oil producer in Africa outside of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and is the largest oil and natural gas consumer in Africa. New exploration areas include the Western Desert, Gulf of Suez, the Nile Delta, and the Mediterranean Sea. From time to time, the GoE accepts bids for oil exploration in the Red Sea and Mediterranean. For instance, the GoE opened a new bid round for the Western Mediterranean in May 2025. There is increasing interest in solutions to reach net zero targets. Several American companies are working on decarbonizing existing refineries, finding flare gas solutions, and developing hydrogen and other fossil fuel energy sources, which could produce new opportunities for U.S. solution providers.
The GoE is keen on improving the healthcare industry. With an ever-growing population of about 118 million, the demand for health services is constantly increasing. Everything from over-the-counter products to injectables to medical devices to cancer treatments are needed. However, with respect to the Future Total Fertility Rate of Egypt (2025-2100), Egypt’s negative downward trend in fertility rate is set to decrease even further in the future. From 2.7083 (2025) to an average of 1.8394 children born per woman, which will eventually ease future demand.
Foreign medical device companies continue to face a complex and lengthy registration process and ongoing intellectual property rights protection concerns.
Egypt’s rapid population growth and housing shortage create strong demand for infrastructure projects, and the GoE’s focus on the sector fostered 80 percent growth since 2015. Military-affiliated companies dominate the construction sector and enjoy exclusive privileges, including tax and customs exemptions, the use of conscripts as low-cost labor, and preferential treatment in the direct awarding of government contracts
Egypt receives approximately $1.3 billion in U.S. military aid per year. These funds are used to purchase U.S. defense and security products and services, including maintenance for existing equipment and spare parts. The U.S. Embassy’s Office of Military Cooperation (OMC) meets with American businesses to discuss opportunities for foreign military sales/financing, and the U.S. Commercial Service handles direct commercial sales of defense goods. Defense-related goods do not face the same non-payment issues as regular commercial goods in Egypt.
The Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) is a special economic area spanning over 460 square kilometers along both banks of the Suez Canal, strategically positioned to connect Asia, Africa, and Europe and facilitate global trade. Established in 2015, the zone offers infrastructure, streamlined regulations, and tax incentives to attract foreign investment in sectors that include logistics, manufacturing, energy, and technology. Egypt actively encourages international companies to invest in the SCZone, emphasizing access to a large regional market, competitive labor costs, and simplified customs for international operations.
In 2024, the United States exported more than $1.3 billion of agricultural and related products to Egypt, led by soybeans, beef products (including liver), wheat, corn gluten meal, and dairy products. The Egyptian government is actively trying to attract investment in the food manufacturing sector, promoting Egypt’s geographical advantage and proximity to Europe, Africa, and Gulf countries, presenting an opportunity for food ingredient inputs like spices, food additives, and milk powders. Modest growth in Egypt’s animal feed sector, driven by poultry and livestock demand, supports opportunities for corn and soybean exports. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), which includes the Office of Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, supports U.S. suppliers of food and agricultural products in the Egyptian market. Additional reporting, insight, and analysis of Egypt’s food and agricultural sector can be found on FAS’ Global Agricultural Information Network.