Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Saturday directed his government to scale up oil, gas and mineral exploration and introduce additional incentives to attract investors, according to a statement from the presidency. The directives came during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi.
The meeting reviewed the petroleum ministry’s strategic plan, including production programmes, exploration drilling, and efforts to strengthen the mining sector and boost its added value. Presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said the discussion covered ongoing initiatives to enhance the sector’s competitiveness and streamline investment procedures.
Badawi presented the ministry’s exploration drilling roadmap for 2026–2030 and provided updates on the mining sector’s geological reserves, investment trends and key challenges. He also outlined legislative reforms, including a draft law transforming the Mineral Resources Authority into an economic public body aimed at attracting both major global players and emerging companies.
The talks also addressed the planned expansion of onshore and offshore exploration, supported by a new incentives package intended to position Egypt as one of the region’s most attractive destinations for energy investment.
Al-Sisi urged the government to build on recent exploration successes and accelerate drilling activities. Badawi detailed upcoming drilling operations in the Mediterranean scheduled for 2026, covering the number of wells, projected investment costs, expected oil and gas reserves, anticipated production levels and potential reductions in Egypt’s import bill.
He also briefed the president on his participation in the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), where he noted rising international interest in Egypt’s investment opportunities and underscored the importance of regional cooperation to ensure energy security.
According to the presidency, Al-Sisi emphasized the need to step up investment in the oil, gas and mining sectors, expand incentives and continue localising related industries to meet Egypt’s growing energy and development needs.
