Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly inaugurated the 29th edition of the Cairo International Technology Exhibition and Conference (Cairo ICT), the largest and most influential technology event in the Middle East and Africa. Organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the exhibition is being held from 16 to 19 November at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in New Cairo, under the theme “AI Everywhere”. This year’s edition brings together more than 500 exhibitors, alongside senior representatives from ministries, authorities, and leading national institutions.
Madbouly
Dr. Madbouly was welcomed by Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and several high-level officials including Eng. Raafat Hindi, Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Digital Transformation, Dr. Mohamed Farid, Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority, and Mr. Osama Kamal, Chairman of Trade Fairs International, the event organizer. The Prime Minister praised the significant presence of Egyptian companies across diverse sectors, emphasizing that the ICT sector has firmly become a strategic pillar of the national economy and a key partner in the government’s efforts to stimulate sustainable growth.
In his remarks, Dr. Madbouly affirmed that Egypt has placed great importance on building a comprehensive national digital strategy, transforming the ICT sector from a purely service-based domain into a productive sector that creates jobs, boosts exports, and drives economic value. He stressed that establishing clear objectives, supported by precise implementation plans, is essential to achieving Egypt’s digital transformation goals.
During his tour of the exhibition, the Prime Minister visited the pavilion of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, where he was briefed on the latest developments in the Digital Egypt Strategy. Minister Amr Talaat explained that the strategy is built around empowering citizens and expanding access to digital services, while simultaneously nurturing digital skills and unlocking new economic opportunities. He highlighted the four core pillars of the strategy: seamless digital access, local manufacturing to build a productive digital economy, advanced digital empowerment for all citizens, and the promotion of digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
A major highlight of this year’s event was the trial launch of new services for Egyptians abroad via the Digital Egypt Platform. These services include the issuance of authenticated documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as certified birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates. Minister Talaat also announced that the Digital ID (Bitaqaty) card for remote identity verification will be launched soon, enabling citizens to complete notarization procedures and access additional services entirely online. He further revealed that 45 exclusive digital services are being introduced in the first phase, covering commercial registry, notarization, civil status, and social insurance services.
The minister outlined the latest achievements in local manufacturing as part of the government’s efforts to build a competitive digital economy. He stated that 15 global brands have invested USD 200 million in mobile phone manufacturing facilities in Egypt, achieving a production capacity of 20 million devices annually, with local production covering more than 81 percent of domestic demand. Egypt also hosts four manufacturers producing optical fiber cables with a combined capacity of 4 million kilometers per year. Total investments in mobile device and fiber cable manufacturing now stand at USD 263 million, creating 9,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Dr. Talaat also reviewed national initiatives designed to build digital talents and nurture innovation. The DIGITOPIA competition, launched to discover emerging talents aged 10 to 35 in fields including programming, artificial intelligence, digital arts, and cybersecurity, received more than 25,000 applications. After several qualification rounds, 72 teams reached the semi-finals, and the final results will be announced on 29 November. The minister also highlighted the success of the Mahara-Tech online training platform, which has trained 285,000 learners and earned the 2025 UNESCO ICT in Education Award for its pioneering role in expanding access to responsible digital learning. Additionally, Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) celebrated the graduation of its first cohort across computer science, business technology, and digital arts programs.
The ICT sector continues to demonstrate strong performance, with a 14 percent growth rate, a 6 percent contribution to GDP, and expected digital exports reaching USD 7.4 billion this year. Egypt has also advanced to Group A in the Global Government Digital Transformation Readiness Index, reflecting its steady progress in digital governance.
Across the exhibition halls, national institutions demonstrated a wide range of innovative digital projects. These include the real estate export platform developed with the Ministry of Housing and the Administrative Control Authority, the digital litigation system implemented with the Ministry of Justice and Public Prosecution, a speech-to-text AI system to support digital justice, and a digital religious content platform developed with the Ministry of Awqaf. The exhibition also featured the latest initiatives of Egypt Post, the Central Bank of Egypt, the Financial Regulatory Authority, ITIDA, the National Telecom Regulatory Authority, and the Arab Organization for Industrialization.
This year’s Cairo ICT hosts five major events under one umbrella, including the twelfth edition of PAFIX, the region’s leading digital payments and financial inclusion forum under the patronage of the Central Bank of Egypt; the second edition of the Artificial Intelligence, Data Centers, and Cloud Computing Forum (AIDC); the fifth edition of Connecta for youth and entertainment technologies; the Innovation Arena for startups; and, for the first time, the Cyber Zone cybersecurity showcase held across two locations within the exhibition. The Future of Egypt Authority is also participating as the exhibition’s Guest of Honor, presenting its vision on digital transformation, data centers, and artificial intelligence.
Throughout four days, Cairo ICT 2025 offers interactive sessions and live demonstrations on the latest developments in artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, fifth-generation technologies, cybersecurity, smart cities, educational technology, cloud computing, green technologies, fintech, and digital identity solutions, reaffirming Egypt’s growing position as a regional leader in technological innovation.
