Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, has outlined bold plans to boost Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) contribution to national GDP to 7.7% by 2030. The announcement was made during the annual celebration of the Egyptian Information Telecommunications, Electronics & Software Alliance (EITESAL), underscoring the government’s long-term vision for AI-driven economic growth.
National AI Strategy Pillars
Talaat highlighted that Egypt’s National AI Strategy is structured around key pillars, including:
- Infrastructure Development: Expanding advanced digital infrastructure and computational resources.
- AI Ecosystem Growth: Supporting 250 AI startups and developing frameworks for data governance and regulation.
- Policy Initiatives: Launching a “Cloud First” strategy, an Egyptian Charter for Responsible AI, and an open data policy, with early applications in the justice sector and other industries.
- Capacity Building: Training 30,000 AI specialists by 2030, following a broader ICT training program that reached 500,000 participants last year.
- Societal Adoption: Aiming for 25% of government employees to enhance performance with AI tools and 36% of citizens to use AI in daily life.
ICT Sector Momentum
Egypt’s ICT sector is already experiencing strong growth. Outsourcing exports surged by 80% in the past three years, hitting $4.3 billion in 2024, while employment rose by 70% to support over 160,000 specialists. The number of outsourcing companies expanded from 64 to more than 180, positioning Egypt as a rising outsourcing hub.
Mobile Manufacturing Expansion
The Minister also announced a five-year strategy to expand Egypt’s mobile manufacturing sector. The plan aims to increase production from 3.5 million units in 2024 to 9 million units by 2025, with the first exports expected in late 2025 or early 2026. Egypt currently hosts 14 mobile phone factories, and the strategy leverages the country’s extensive free trade agreements to enhance export competitiveness.
Education and Innovation Hub
Talaat celebrated the graduation of the first cohort from Egypt University of Informatics, Africa’s first dedicated ICT institution, which partners with leading global universities to offer dual degrees. This milestone reinforces Egypt’s ambition to become a hub for advanced technology education and innovation.
Path to Global Leadership
By combining AI integration, ICT expansion, manufacturing growth, and education, Talaat said Egypt is laying the foundation to become a global player in AI and digital transformation. These efforts will not only diversify the economy but also drive long-term, innovation-led growth.
