Hossam Heiba, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), affirmed that Egypt’s strategy to raise the mining sector’s contribution to 5% of GDP focuses on deepening industrial capacity, establishing value-added chains within mining industries, and expanding logistics services, including shipping, transport, storage, and supply chain management.
His remarks came during the Egypt Mining Forum 2025, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, with the participation of prominent local and international stakeholders.
Heiba emphasised that the mining sector has long represented a strategic partnership between the government and the private sector. In recent years, the Egyptian government has prioritised enhancing the sector’s competitiveness through targeted investment incentives and infrastructure development, recognising the country’s significant mineral potential.
The GAFI chief detailed the incentives offered under the Investment Law for mining institutions, most notably the right to recover up to 50% of investment costs via tax deductions over a period of seven years from the project’s commencement. Furthermore, mining projects can apply for the Golden Licence, which consolidates all required approvals and permits into a single licence issued within just 20 working days.
Heiba also highlighted a range of investment systems tailored to mining projects, including special free zones and dedicated investment zones, which enable investors to complete all licensing procedures in one location. He noted that GAFI now hosts Egypt’s digital company registration platform and the unified investment licensing platform, adding that the digitisation of services has significantly streamlined processes and supported growth in the mining sector in recent years.
