For years, discussions about Egypt's economic transformation have focused on infrastructure, manufacturing and energy. Increasingly, however, another sector is emerging as one of the country's most important growth engines: technology.
From artificial intelligence and data centres to electronics manufacturing and digital services, Egypt is pursuing an ambitious strategy to position itself as one of the region's leading digital economies. The objective is not simply to grow the ICT sector itself, but to create the infrastructure, regulatory environment and talent base needed to support a broader transition towards a digital economy.
The strategy is already delivering results. Egypt's ICT sector is growing at between 14% and 16% annually, making it one of the country's fastest-growing industries. Its contribution to GDP has risen to around 6%, with policymakers targeting an increase to approximately 8% over the coming years.
"Over the next five to ten years, Egypt's ICT sector will consolidate its position as one of the principal engines of national economic growth and a cornerstone of the country's transition to a knowledge and innovation-driven economy," says H.E. Eng. Raafat Hindy, Minister of Communications and Information Technology.
Originally published by African Business.