Egypt’s PM sets end-2026 deadline for state IPO stake sales
Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly directed on Thursday that state-owned companies slated for offerings on the Egyptian Exchange complete planned stake sales before the end of 2026 as the government accelerates efforts to expand private-sector participation.
Madbouly also ordered the transfer of all companies previously affiliated with the Ministry of Public Business Sector before 30 June, following the ministry’s abolition, according to a government statement.
The directives came during a review of the first-quarter report of the State-Owned Companies Unit, which oversees Egypt’s state assets and privatisation programme.
Assistant Prime Minister and Chief Executive of the State-Owned Companies Unit Hashem El-Sayed said the unit had made progress in the state IPO programme, with six companies temporarily listed on the Egyptian Exchange in March and 10 more companies by the end of April.
He added that four additional companies are scheduled to be listed during the first half of June.
Authorities are also working to complete listing procedures for around 10 petroleum-sector companies during June as part of broader efforts to deepen capital markets, attract private investment, and improve returns on state-owned assets, El-Sayed said.
The unit has also launched Rasheed, an artificial intelligence-based digital platform designed to inventory and classify state-owned companies, he said. The platform currently includes data and analysis on around 120 companies, with the broader database expected to eventually cover more than 600 state-owned or state-affiliated firms.
El-Sayed added that the unit had prepared lists of companies targeted for transfer to the Sovereign Fund of Egypt and other national investment funds, while also providing restructuring proposals and technical support for companies being prepared for potential offerings.
The unit also reviewed 15 requests submitted by ministries and government entities to establish new companies by the end of March 2026. Six requests were approved, one was rejected, and eight remain under review, according to the statement.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
Subediting: Y.Yasser