Egypt will not raise energy prices in 2026, says deputy PM

CAIRO - 20 May 2026: Egypt has no plans to increase energy prices this year, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Hussein Issa announced at an American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) panel discussion in Cairo on Tuesday.

Speaking at AmCham’s annual meeting, Issa expressed hope that prices would remain stable moving forward, stating, "I hope we do not raise them again."

The event was attended by several ministers, business community leaders, and former AmCham presidents.

In April, the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy announced a 16 percent average tariff increase restricted exclusively to higher residential consumption brackets exceeding 2,000 kilowatt-hours per month, alongside a 20 percent average hike for commercial brackets. 

Driven by regional tensions as the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran, which blacked the Strait of Hormuz, the Egyptian government raised fuel prices by up to 30 percent in March.

It also increased natural gas prices for energy-intensive industrial sectors on May 1 to counter an energy import bill that surged from $1.2 billion in January to $2.5 billion in March.