Egypt's iron and steel industry is a strategic pillar of the country's industrial sector, playing a vital role in economic growth, infrastructure development, and export performance. Since the establishment of the first iron and steel company in 1936, the industry has expanded significantly, positioning Egypt among the largest steel producers in Africa and the MENA region. Today, the sector produces more than 10 million tons of steel annually, meeting substantial domestic demand while supplying international markets.

This factsheet examines Egypt's position in global and regional steel production and exports, analyzes recent import trends, and highlights the latest government measures introduced to protect and strengthen the domestic steel industry.

• Production slightly declined from 10.7 million tons in 2024 to 10.6 million tons in 2025, representing around 1% year-on-year (YoY) fall rate. This level of production puts Egypt as the world’s 19^th largest steel producer in 2025, accounting for 0.6% of the global steel production.
• At the regional level, in 2025, Egypt came 2^nd among Arab steel producers, following Saudi Arabia. Egypt was the top producer in Africa and got 4th place among Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries following Türkiye, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
• Notably, the Egyptian giant steel manufacturer, Ezz Steel, maintained its position for the third consecutive year as the largest steel-producing company in the Arab World and the African continent in 2025, with production of 6.4 million tons.
• The average steel prices in Egypt witnessed a notable drop in 2025, when they moved from EGP 40,483 per ton in 2024 to EGP 36,970 per ton in 2025, representing a 8.7% YoY decline.
• In 2025, Egypt’s iron and steel exports reached $1.82 billion, marking a 17.3% decline compared to 2024. Despite the drop, Egypt ranked 35^th worldwide, accounting for 0.4% of global iron and steel exports. Regionally, the country maintained a strong position, placing 2^nd among African exporters after South Africa, and 4^th in the MENA region following Türkiye, the UAE, and Oman.
• Egypt’s exports were mainly directed to Türkiye, Brazil, and Lebanon, which acquired 15.1%, 8.8%, and 7.1% of Egypt’s exports, respectively.
• Despite its strong production capacity, Egypt's steel industry continues to face growing challenges in accessing the European market. The European Union's (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduces additional reporting requirements and, in the coming years, carbon-related costs for exporters, increasing compliance burdens for Egyptian producers. At the same time, the EU's steel safeguard quota system restricts duty-free access for several steel products, with exports exceeding allocated quotas becoming subject to additional tariffs.

By: Amina Hussein