Egypt’s data watchdog to be fully operational by November 2026

Egypt’s Personal Data Protection Centre (PDPC) is set to become fully operational by November 2026, with authorities planning a gradual enforcement approach that prioritises compliance over immediate inspections.
Speaking at a panel hosted by the British Egyptian Business Association (BEBA) in Cairo, Suzanne El Akabaoui, acting chief executive of the PDPC and advisor to the communications minister on data governance, said entities would be expected to begin applying for required licences from November as part of efforts to align with the country’s data protection law.
She indicated that the regulator does not intend to immediately launch a full-scale auditing and inspection phase, instead focusing initially on helping organisations achieve compliance.
El Akabaoui said the authority’s enforcement strategy would prioritise ensuring adherence to the law, with regulators working alongside companies before moving into stricter oversight measures.
However, she noted that the centre would intervene in cases of personal data breaches when necessary, as it will serve as the main body receiving breach notifications. In such cases, enforcement actions, including audits and inspections, could be triggered.
She added that the authority would also act on complaints submitted by data subjects when there are sufficient grounds, potentially leading to further investigation.
According to El Akabaoui, the regulator is expected to shift towards a more formal auditing mandate once awareness of the law has been sufficiently established and a significant number of entities have begun the licensing and compliance process.
The remarks come as Egypt prepares to fully implement its data protection framework, with businesses facing increasing pressure to meet regulatory requirements ahead of the November 2026 operational launch.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English