MENA TechDigital Egypt strategy targets 200,000 new jobs and $12 billion in exports by 2030
Egypt plans to raise annual digital exports to $12 billion, create 200,000 new jobs and support 250 artificial intelligence startups by 2030.
MENA TechIn brief: Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy outlined the 2030 roadmap for the Digital Egypt strategy during Egypt Forum 2026. The plan targets $12 billion in annual digital exports, 200,000 new jobs, support for 250 artificial intelligence startups and an 8% gross domestic product contribution from the technology sector by 2030.
Egypt plans to increase annual digital exports to $12 billion and create 200,000 new jobs by 2030 under its Digital Egypt strategy. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy presented the roadmap during Egypt Forum 2026, held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The plan also aims to raise the information and communications technology (ICT) sector's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) to 8% by 2030.
Targets for public services and technology jobs
The government roadmap focuses on four priorities: expanding digital public services, investing in telecommunications infrastructure, building specialised technology skills and strengthening national digital sovereignty. On the Digital Egypt platform, the ministry plans to expand services from around 250 to 400 by 2030, serving 30 million to 35 million citizens. Economic empowerment goals include creating high-value-added roles in technology and artificial intelligence (AI), alongside enabling 250 startups to develop AI applications.
Hendy said citizens are at the centre of digital transformation and need digital skills to adapt, pursue lifelong learning and innovate. More than two million citizens have completed digital capacity-building programmes over the past decade, including the Digital Egypt Generations initiatives and Digilians, which runs with the Egyptian Military Academy. The government has also established 24 innovation hubs across Egypt's governorates to incubate startups and train young people. Egypt's outsourcing industry now comprises around 280 centres employing 200,000 people, and roughly 80% of its business is exported overseas.
Telecommunications infrastructure and digital sovereignty
The government and private sector have invested over EGP 600 billion in telecommunications infrastructure over the past decade to replace copper with fibre-optic cables nationwide. Around 20,000 government buildings and 5.5 million lines now use the fibre-optic network, helping Egypt rank first in Africa for fixed broadband speeds for six consecutive years. Mobile operators have also invested more than $6 billion in spectrum over the past decade and added over 3,000 cell towers annually.
Rural upgrades under the presidential Decent Life initiative reach villages serving 60 million citizens through fibre-optic connections, mobile coverage, post office upgrades and digital literacy courses. For international connectivity, Egypt has installed 10 submarine cables over the past decade and is building six more. Hendy described digital sovereignty as full, independent and sustainable control over national infrastructure, data and strategic services, supported by sovereign infrastructure, cybersecurity, AI, data protection and national talent.
National AI policy and workforce readiness
Egypt has also begun intensive cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to formulate a five-year national AI strategy. Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom announced the OECD partnership at the 15th AIM Congress in Dubai. The plan will guide responsible AI adoption, public awareness, standardised government systems for secure data exchange and cybersecurity standards for autonomous interactions between algorithms.
Rostom said AI integration in manufacturing must pair with workforce reskilling so workers supervise and control machines rather than being replaced. A July poll by the Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre found that 56% of Egyptians believe wider AI adoption will eliminate jobs. President El-Sisi launched Egypt's current 2025-2030 National AI Strategy in January 2025, targeting 30,000 AI professionals, a 7.7% ICT share of GDP and an Arabic-language foundation model called Karnak.
What happens next
Egypt aims to connect over 55% of households to fibre-optic lines, add one million lines annually and deliver 5G coverage across all governorates by 2030. The government also plans to build five to seven major data centres over the next four to five years, with the first facilities expected to open and begin exporting services in 2030. The ministry will also train national talent in quantum computing and raise domestic mobile phone manufacturing capacity to 30 million devices.
Sources: TechReviewAfrica, Middle East AI News
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