Foreign Investment in Egypt: Setup and Licensing
Investment Law No. 72 of 2017, GAFI procedures and sector approvals for foreign investors entering Egypt.
Egypt's investment framework
Investment in Egypt is framed by Investment Law No. 72 of 2017, while company forms sit under Companies Law No. 159 of 1981, as amended (including by Law No. 4 of 2018). The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) administers incorporation and investor services, including electronic incorporation for specified forms and Investor Service Centers that coordinate with the licensing authorities. Which rules, incentives or approvals apply depends on the activity and the ownership, so each project is checked on its own facts.
Choosing the entry vehicle
A foreign investor can enter through a limited liability company, a joint-stock company, a one-person company, or a branch or representative office of a foreign company. The choice turns on whether the business will trade, hold assets or only liaise with the group, who will own the shares, and how management and profits will be organized. A branch and a locally incorporated company carry different consequences, so the structure is settled before documents are signed.
Licensing and how we work
Our Cairo branch prepares the investor's file: ownership chain, documents, fees, the signature process and the sector approvals the activity needs. A company certificate does not by itself answer sector, location or operational permit questions, so we sequence those before a launch date is promised. For the incorporation mechanics see Company Formation in Egypt; for the wider practice see General Commercial & Corporate; to scope a project, contact our team.
MENA coordination
The firm was founded in Kuwait in 1986 and has a branch in Cairo. It covers MENA matters in cooperation with partner offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, and partner offices in Turkey and the United States. Those partner offices are not branches owned by the firm; local licensing and advice are assessed in the relevant jurisdiction.
This page is general information, not advice for a particular entity or transaction.
Frequently asked questions
What law governs foreign investment in Egypt?
Investment Law No. 72 of 2017 provides the investment framework, and companies are primarily governed by Companies Law No. 159 of 1981, as amended. Which rules apply depends on the entity form, the activity and the ownership.
Which authority handles investor registration in Egypt?
The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) administers incorporation and investor services, including electronic incorporation for specified forms and Investor Service Centers that coordinate with the relevant licensing authorities.
Can the firm run an Egyptian investment setup directly?
Yes. The firm has a branch in Cairo, which prepares and sequences the file: ownership, documents, fees, signature process and the applicable sector approvals.
Other markets
Company Formation in Egypt · Foreign Investment in Saudi Arabia: Setup and Licensing · Foreign Investment in the UAE: Setup and Licensing · Foreign Investment in Qatar: Setup and Licensing · Foreign Investment in Oman: Setup and Licensing · Foreign Investment in Bahrain: Setup and Licensing