Egypt’s Finance Ministry and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology have launched a new electronic system to curb mobile phone smuggling and promote local manufacturing. The system includes the “Telephony” mobile application, which allows citizens returning from abroad to register one mobile phone for personal use, exempt from fees.
Announced on December 31, the new system aims to ensure fair competition in Egypt’s mobile phone market, which has recently attracted several international companies to manufacture phones locally. The application enables users to register imported mobile phones, pay applicable fees online, and protect consumers from counterfeit and smuggled devices.
While customs duties and taxes on imported phones remain at 38.5%, the system exempts phones activated before January 1, 2025, from the new regulations. With 80% of mobile phones entering Egypt in 2023 and 2024 estimated to be smuggled, this initiative aims to level the playing field for local manufacturers and close the gaps in regulatory oversight.
The “Telephony” app is part of Egypt’s broader digital transformation agenda, which aims to reduce bureaucracy, enhance transparency, and promote innovation as part of the nation’s Vision 2030.
