Egypt’s Non-Oil Exports Surge 18% to $44.3 Billion Amidst Strategic Push for Foreign Currency

Egypt’s non-oil exports climbed by 18% year-on-year between January and November 2025. The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade reported on Friday that exports reached $44.3 billion, up from $37.5 billion in the same period last year.

This increase comes as the government relies on export growth. Exports represent a crucial source of foreign currency inflows. The government aims to raise total commodity exports to $145 billion by 2030, with industrial products making up most of this target.

Egypt’s imports showed a slight 4% rise during the first eleven months. Imports reached $74.7 billion, compared to $71.9 billion previously.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade announced details of the 2025–2026 export burden refund program. This program, revealed early in the current fiscal year, supports various export sectors.

The trade deficit decreased by 12% in the same period. It registered $30.3 billion, down from $34.4 billion.

Supporting Egyptian Exports

Egypt plans to link export support programs to a gradual annual 5% increase in the local component. This new export support system will maintain the current minimum local component at 35%.

The government raised export support allocations in the current 2025–2026 fiscal year budget. Funds increased to EGP 45 billion, up from EGP 23 billion targeted by the end of the last fiscal year in June.

The UAE ranked as the top market for Egyptian non-oil exports from January to November. Exports to the UAE reached $6.5 billion, a 131% increase from $2.8 billion in the prior year. Turkey followed with $2.9 billion, marking a 1% rise. Saudi Arabia received $2.7 billion in exports, an 11% decrease.

For more insights into Egypt’s economic strategy, read about recent economic developments.

Egyptian Export Sectors

Building materials formed a significant part of the non-oil export structure during the period. This sector recorded $13.6 billion, a 39% increase. Chemical products and fertilizers reached $8.5 billion, up 8%. Food industries contributed $6.3 billion, growing by 13%.

Egyptian exports grew by 5.4% in 2024, reaching $44.8 billion. Non-oil exports accounted for $39.4 billion of this total. Data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), released last March, confirmed these figures. This growth helped offset some of the dollar inflow reduction caused by declining Suez Canal revenues due to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping.

Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan Al-Khatib, highlighted the weak competitiveness of Egyptian trade at a press conference last January. He stated that exports represent only about 10% of the GDP, one of the lowest ratios globally. The government targets raising this figure to between 20% and 30%. Al-Khatib also noted that imports equal about 20% of the GDP, a percentage he described as “not high.”