Egypt Digital Economy surges with $7.4B in export growth, driven by ICT expansion, outsourcing hubs, AI adoption, and workforce development, boosting MENA’s tech leadership.
Egypt digital economy is gaining momentum, underpinned by rapid growth in ICT exports and sustained investment in technology infrastructure. Speaking at an American Chamber of Commerce event, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat revealed that Egypt’s digital exports reached $7.4 billion over the past seven years, more than doubling from $3.3 billion in 2018.
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The minister described the ICT sector as Egypt’s fastest-growing industry, expanding at 14%–16% annually and now accounting for 6% of GDP, up from 3.2% just a few years ago. A major catalyst has been the outsourcing industry, where exports climbed from $2.4 billion in 2022 to $4.8 billion in 2025. The number of outsourcing companies operating in Egypt has also grown sharply, rising from 90 to 240 firms, supported by over 270 service delivery centers nationwide.
Talaat highlighted Egypt Digital Economy, built on four pillars: fostering digital innovation, improving public services, expanding GDP and exports, and creating sustainable jobs. Workforce development remains central to this plan. Annual ICT training capacity has increased from 4,000 trainees in 2018/2019 to 500,000 last year, with a target of 800,000 trainees in the current fiscal year.
Education reforms are reinforcing this talent pipeline. The Egypt University of Informatics has graduated its first cohort, while WE Schools of Applied Technology now operate 27 campuses across the country. Digital skills training is delivered through in-person, online, and hybrid formats, with platforms such as MaharaTech expanding nationwide access.
Egypt’s National AI Strategy, launched in 2019 and updated this year, has further strengthened its digital credentials. The country has moved up 46 places in the Government AI Readiness Index, with AI solutions already deployed in healthcare and judicial services—areas where implementation typically proves complex.
Egypt is also consolidating its role as a global outsourcing hub. New agreements are expected to generate around 75,000 jobs over the next three years. In manufacturing, 15 local and international companies are producing mobile phones domestically, with local value-added reaching 40% and annual production capacity approaching 10 million units by next year.
Sustained infrastructure investment underpins this growth. Since 2019, Egypt has invested approximately $6 billion in digital infrastructure. Average fixed broadband speeds now stand at 91.3 Mbps, placing Egypt among global leaders. The country also serves as a critical global data corridor, carrying more than 90% of international data traffic through the region.
Why Egypt Digital Economy Matters for MENA
Egypt digital economy expansion is not just a national success story; it carries regional significance for the MENA digital economy. As one of the region’s largest labor markets, Egypt is positioning itself as a cost-competitive outsourcing and technology hub, offering scalable talent, improving infrastructure, and rising AI readiness.
For MENA startups and multinationals alike, Egypt digital economy growth strengthens regional supply chains, supports cross-border digital services, and reduces reliance on offshore tech hubs outside the region. Its focus on AI, digital exports, and workforce development aligns closely with broader MENA goals around economic diversification, job creation, and knowledge-based growth.
As digital adoption accelerates across the Middle East and North Africa, Egypt’s trajectory provides a blueprint for how long-term policy, infrastructure investment, and talent development can translate into measurable economic impact.
