Egypt’s Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Jumps 50 Percent as It Pitches an African Auto Hub
Manufacture of motor vehicles in Egypt grew by about 50 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2025/2026, July to September 2025, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom said in remarks the ministry published on 2 October. He presented the figure to an investment forum on Africa’s automotive industry. On our calculation, that pace is about 5.6 times the 9.0 percent growth of non-oil industry over the full fiscal year, as published in our report of 4 September.
The number in context
Rostom placed the jump in vehicle output inside a broader expansion of non-petroleum manufacturing, and credited the economic reform programme, which centres on competitiveness, a larger role for the private sector, and support for sectors with high value added and export capacity. The economy grew 5.1 percent in 2025/2026, up from 4.4 percent the year before, as we reported on 4 September, and industry, communications and trade together supplied about 48 percent of that growth. On our calculation, those three sectors contributed roughly 2.4 percentage points of the 5.1 percent. The release gives no motor vehicle growth figure for the later quarters of 2025/2026.
Egypt’s motor vehicle surge against the wider economy
| Indicator | Period | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle manufacturing growth | Q1 FY2025/2026, July to September 2025 | About 50% |
| Non-oil industry growth | FY2025/2026 | 9.0% |
| GDP growth | FY2025/2026 | 5.1% |
| GDP growth | FY2024/2025 | 4.4% |
| Industry, communications and trade, share of growth | FY2025/2026 | About 48% |
| Same 3 sectors, contribution in points | FY2025/2026 | About 2.4 |
Egypt’s fiscal year runs from July to June. The non-oil industry figure is as published in our report of 4 September 2026. The contribution in points is our calculation from the 48 percent share and 5.1 percent growth.
An automotive pitch to Africa
Rostom gave the figures at the African Automotive Investment Forum, part of the first Alamein-Africa 2026 forum. Afreximbank co-organised the event, which drew about 1,500 African business leaders and investors. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Mohamed Farid and Industry Minister Khaled Hashem also took part. The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade has launched a broad programme of structural and institutional reform. Its stated goal is to make Egypt a regional hub in Africa for car manufacturing and exports.
Why it matters: A quarter in which vehicle output grew by half gives Egypt a concrete figure to put in front of African business leaders and investors as it makes the case for an export hub. Set against 9.0 percent for non-oil industry over the whole year, on our reading it marks autos out as running well ahead of the wider sector’s annual pace.
Outlook: The next markers are the vehicle figures for the remaining quarters of 2025/2026 and the first estimates for July to September 2026, which would show how far the opening quarter’s pace carried through. The economy grew 5.1 percent in 2025/2026 and the reform programme is aimed squarely at the sector, giving the auto push a base to build on.
Sources: Egypt Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, The Edge.
