Developing the digital economy and strengthening Egypt’s ICT infrastructure are central to efforts by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). Digital Egypt is the ministry’s roadmap to facilitate further sector growth through initiatives such as capacity-building, digital inclusion and the transition to a knowledgebased economy. Digital inclusion has seen continued gains in recent years. In December 2018 there were a total of 6.3m ADSL subscriptions in the country, rising to 6.9m in June 2019 and 8m in June 2020. Meanwhile, there were 35.1m mobile internet users at the end of 2018, a figure that increased to 36.5m six months later and 41.8m by mid-2020.
The plan also seeks to build local electronics design and manufacturing capacity. The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) is working with the MCIT to encourage such activities through its Egypt Makes Electronics initiative. The programme aims to bolster exports by leveraging trade agreements; fostering industry-academia collaboration; and encouraging the production of smartphones, tablets, GPS devices, smart meters, LED lighting, industrial electronics and more. Investors are offered incentives and subsidies on research and development, tools and development kits, and training. Efforts have paid off: in December 2017 the MCIT inaugurated a 4500-sq-metre electronics manufacturing plant in New Assuit Technology Park. The facility began to produce mobile phones, tablets and tracking devices in 2018, and by October 2019 it had the capacity to produce 2m devices annually.
More recently, the MCIT has launched various CREATIVA knowledge and innovation centres to train youth in tech-related skills that align with market demands. In March 2021 LE300m was granted to fund the second phase of the initiative, which focuses on developing an integrated system for technological innovation and improving self-employment skills for success in entrepreneurial pursuits.
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