File Photo: Containers being transferred on a Cargo ship in port of Alexandria. Al-Ahram.
The growth came mainly from heavy industrial products, processed foods, and textiles, Fitch said, helping reduce the trade deficit by 11.9 percent to $30.3 billion from $34.4 billion between January and November 2024.
Egypt’s overall non-oil trade deficit reached $37.1 billion in fiscal year 2024/2025 due to a 22 percent rise in imports, which hit $71.7 billion.
The monthly trade deficit decreased to $3.3 billion in September 2025, down 27.6 percent from $4.5 billion in September 2024.
The S&P index for new export orders in the non-oil private sector grew for the first time this year, rising to 51.7 points in November 2025 from 48.5 points in January, the statement added.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly urged export councils in last week’s cabinet meeting to prepare plans to raise non-oil exports by 15–20 percent annually through 2030.
This forms part of Egypt’s strategy to boost total exports, support foreign-currency inflows, reduce pressure on public finances, increase exports to $145 billion, and double the contribution of foreign direct investment (FDI) to GDP to 4.4 percent over the next four years, aligning with the state's new economic narrative.
Non-oil exports reached around $40 billion in 2024, while overall exports are expected to grow about 20 percent in 2025, reaching $48–50 billion, supported by positive economic indicators and the lowest trade deficit in a decade.
Earlier this year, Egypt set a goal to increase annual exports to $115.8 billion by 2030, lower than the $145 billion target announced in January 2024.
Key non-oil export sectors included building materials, which rose 39 percent to $13.7 billion; chemical products and fertilizers, up 8 percent to $8.6 billion; and food industries, up 13 percent to $6.4 billion.
Engineering and electronic goods increased 14 percent to $5.9 billion; ready-made garments rose 21 percent to $3.1 billion; spinning and weaving products edged up 2 percent to $1.1 billion; and the medical industries grew 26 percent to $898 million.
The main importers of Egyptian non-oil products were the UAE at $6.6 billion, Turkey at $2.9 billion, Italy at $2.5 billion, and the US at $2.5 billion.
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