Egypt's mobile phone subscriptions reached 127.89 million by the end of June 2026, up 8.82 percent year on year, according to official data from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. This represents a significant increase in mobile subscriptions, with 10.37 million more subscriptions than in June 2025. The growth in mobile subscriptions reflects the increasing importance of mobile services in Egypt.
The number of mobile subscriptions rose by 2.24 million, or 1.79 percent, from 125.65 million at the end of the first quarter of 2026. Compared to May 2026, the June total rose by 980,000 subscriptions, or 0.77 percent. Mobile services accounted for about 90 percent of all telephone subscriptions in Egypt. The ministry's quarterly ICT Indicators Bulletin provides insights into the country's telecommunications sector.
Mobile penetration in Egypt reached 114.15 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, up from 112.61 at the end of the first quarter of 2026 and 106.66 a year earlier. This represents a quarterly increase of 1.54 percentage points and an annual rise of about 7.5 percentage points. A penetration rate above 100 percent indicates that individuals are using more than one SIM card or mobile subscription.
The growth in mobile subscriptions comes as Egypt's four mobile operators have invested heavily in 5G technology, while the government expands spectrum capacity, mobile towers, and fibre-optic networks. Egypt's population reached 109 million in May 2026, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. Mobile subscriptions therefore outnumbered residents by nearly 19 million, reflecting multiple SIM ownership.
Active mobile broadband subscriptions combining voice and data climbed to 97.68 million by the end of June 2026, up 9.17 million, or 10.36 percent, from 88.51 million in June 2025. The figure was also 3.25 million, or 3.44 percent, higher than the 94.43 million subscriptions recorded at the end of March 2026. Data-only mobile broadband subscriptions reached 4.12 million, up 15.2 percent from 3.57 million subscriptions in June 2025.
Fixed-line subscriptions reached 14.38 million at the end of June 2026, up 770,000, or 5.65 percent, from 13.61 million a year earlier. Urban areas accounted for 11.60 million fixed-line subscriptions, compared with 2.77 million in rural areas. Fixed-line penetration remained unchanged from the previous quarter at 12.8 percent, up 0.4 percentage points year on year.
The number of newly established ICT companies rose to 1,102 during April-June 2026, compared with 697 in the corresponding period of 2025, an annual increase of 405 companies, or 58.1 percent. The issued capital of new ICT companies reached EGP 1.16 billion, up EGP 154 million, or 15.3 percent, from approximately EGP 1.01 billion a year earlier. This growth supports the sector's position as Egypt's fastest-growing economic contributor.
Key points
- Egypt's mobile subscriptions increased by 8.82% to 127.89 million in Q2 2026.
- Mobile penetration in Egypt reached 114.15 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
- The number of newly established ICT companies rose by 58.1% to 1,102 in Q2 2026.
