Egypt’s target of increasing annual textile and garment exports to $20bn by 2030 remains achievable, but reaching it will require a new strategy focused on accelerating export growth and integrating more Egyptian companies into global value and supply chains, said Mahmoud Ghazal, Member of the Textile Industries Chamber and Chairperson of Nile Textile Industries (NTI).
Ghazal said Egypt’s strategic location, network of trade agreements, proximity to major consumer markets, and potential to develop an integrated production chain spanning spinning and textiles to finished garments provide a strong foundation for achieving the target.
He noted that securing around 5% of the global textile and garment market could bring Egypt’s exports to $20bn. However, this would require expanding the country’s exporter base and increasing the number of local companies capable of joining international supply chains.
Egyptian ready-made garment exports reached approximately $2.525bn during January-August 2026, up 16% year-on-year. Exports to European markets increased 26% to $1.087bn, while exports to Spain jumped 61% to $227m.
Ghazal said the current growth trajectory would not be sufficient to reach the 2030 target. Estimates based on historical growth, production capacity, and available markets suggest exports could reach only around $4bn without a significant acceleration.
Ghazal identified small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as an important driver of future export growth, noting that the number of ready-made garment exporters rose to 749 companies in the first seven months of 2026, from 722 a year earlier.
However, increasing the number of exporters alone is insufficient, he said. More Egyptian companies need to participate in global production through direct exports, original equipment manufacturing (OEM), and private-label manufacturing.
Supporting SMEs, strengthening their production capabilities, and connecting them with international contracts and supply chains would broaden Egypt’s export base and increase local value addition, Ghazal said.
He added that achieving the $20bn target will ultimately require a clear implementation strategy, expanded production capacity, new markets, and deeper integration into global value chains.
