Reports that a deadline for the mandatory installation of new electronic registration stickers on all vehicles had been extended to April 2021 are incorrect, the Egyptian government has said.

According to a statement by the cabinet, the interior ministry said the news was false, adding that the deadline has been extended to 21 November this year only, per a decision last week.

The ministry called on all vehicle owners to go to traffic administration bureaus nationwide, which are now open until 8pm, to get their new electronic car stickers.

The stickers, which can be read by special infrared devices at traffic lights and by traffic officers on the streets, include a SIM card which holds the vehicle's data, allowing authorities to track violations and expired licenses.

The sticker system was launched by the General Directorate of Traffic in June last year with the aim of making it easier to register all vehicles in a single database.

The stickers cost up to EGP 50 and will have to be replaced if lost.

They also allow vehicle owners to make electronic payments for tolls, parking fees or fines, by sending them a message on their mobile phone.

The move is part of a broader drive to tighten traffic regulations and upgrade traffic services in Egypt, a country notorious for frequent deadly car accidents that are partially attributed to lax traffic laws.

Egypt has also allocated billions of pounds to developing and expanding road networks in recent years.