Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Rafeat Hendy, announced plans to develop a national strategy for data centers by the end of 2026. The strategy aims to support the growth of the digital economy and enable 36% of citizens to use AI-powered tools. Hendy made the announcement during the opening of the FDC Summit 2026.
The national strategy for AI, which spans from 2025 to 2030, focuses on six main axes: governance, technology, data, infrastructure, ecosystem, and human capacity building. Hendy emphasized that Egypt is transitioning from building technical readiness to achieving tangible economic and developmental impact. The ministry aims to empower citizens and businesses through digital transformation.
Hendy highlighted the importance of possessing technology and having a clear vision for its use. He stated that the ministry's vision is to build a digital economy capable of driving growth, increasing its contribution to GDP, and providing quality job opportunities. The government also aims to enhance its services and improve the efficiency of the administrative apparatus.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is working on activating digital identity and linking it to electronic signature and certified digital mail. This will enable the redesign of service delivery cycles, making them accessible to citizens remotely. The government targets providing all government services through the "Digital Egypt" platform by 2030.
Hendy emphasized that supporting digital transformation is linked to developing the entrepreneurship ecosystem. The ministry offers programs through 24 "Egyptian Digital Creativity" centers, providing support for building skills, promoting entrepreneurial thinking, and incubating startups. These centers offer technical, legal, and marketing consultations and connect companies with investors.
Egypt has made significant progress in AI, advancing 59 places since 2019 in the government AI readiness index. The country ranked first in Africa and third in the Arab world in overall AI readiness and governance in 2025. Hendy announced the launch of the first national AI model in Arabic, developed by Egyptian engineers at the Applied Innovation Center.
The data center industry has become a crucial component of the digital economy, providing hosting, processing, and storage capabilities for data and AI applications. Hendy noted that Egypt has a competitive advantage in this industry due to its geographical location and telecommunications infrastructure, with 20 international submarine cables passing through its territory.
Key points
- Egypt plans to launch a national data center strategy by 2026 to develop its digital economy.
- The government aims to support 250 AI companies and train over 30,000 specialists by 2030.
- Egypt has made significant progress in AI, ranking first in Africa and third in the Arab world in overall AI readiness and governance in 2025.
