Egypt recorded an overall balance of payments surplus of $2.8bn in the fiscal year (FY) 2025/26, reversing a deficit of $2.1bn the previous year, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) announced on Monday.
The surplus was supported by a net inflow of $23.2bn in the capital and financial account, compared with $10.2bn in the previous year. This increase was primarily driven by a rise in net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, which reached $18bn against $12.2bn the year before. Portfolio investments also contributed to the surplus, recording a net inflow of $4.2bn compared to $1.6bn previously.
However, the current account deficit widened to $22.5bn from $15.4bn in the previous year. This was largely due to a 27.1% increase in the merchandise trade deficit, which reached $64.8bn, and a 33.8% widening of the investment income deficit to $21.2bn. The non-oil trade deficit expanded by 25.4% to $46.6bn, as a $12.1bn rise in non-oil imports outpaced a $2.7bn increase in non-oil exports. The oil trade deficit also widened, increasing by 31.5% to $18.3bn due to higher imports of natural gas and crude oil.
The widening of the current account deficit was partially offset by a 29.6% surge in remittances from Egyptians working abroad, which reached $47.3bn. Tourism revenues also grew by 10.3% to $18.4bn. Furthermore, receipts from the Suez Canal increased by 21.6% to $4.4bn, reflecting a 22.4% rise in net tonnage and a 9.8% increase in transiting vessels.
Within the FDI figures, non-oil sectors registered a net inflow of $17.8bn. This included $8.8bn in greenfield investments and capital increases—bolstered by $3.5bn from the Alam Al-Roum deal between October and December 2025—and $6.2bn in reinvested earnings. Real estate purchases by non-residents generated a net inflow of $2.8bn. FDI in the oil and mineral resources sector recorded a net inflow of $190.2m.
In the financial account, the change in banks’ foreign assets and the central bank’s non-reserve assets showed an increase in net outflows, reaching $9.7bn against $5.6bn. The central bank’s liabilities recorded a net outflow of $695.8m, compared with a net inflow of $3.6bn previously. Medium- and long-term loans and facilities registered a net disbursement of $1.9bn, contrasting with a net repayment of $3.5bn the prior year, as total disbursements reached $9bn and principal repayments stood at $7.1bn.
