Egypt's textile and apparel industry has set a goal of raising annual exports to $20 billion by 2030, but industry insiders point out that achieving this target will require the sector to accelerate growth, expand production capacity, and integrate more deeply into global value chains.

Key Points

  • In the first 8 months of 2026, Egypt's garment exports reached approximately $2.525 billion, up 16% year-on-year; exports to Europe grew 26% to $1.087 billion.
  • Mahmoud Ghazal, a member of the Egyptian Textile Industry Chamber and chairman of Nile Textile Industries, said that based on existing capacity and historical growth rates, exports in 2030 would only reach about $4 billion.
  • In the first 7 months of 2026, the number of Egyptian garment export companies increased from 722 in the same period last year to 749.

According to Mahmoud Ghazal, a member of the Egyptian Textile Industry Chamber and chairman of Nile Textile Industries, Egypt has advantages in location, trade agreements, and proximity to major consumer markets. If it can build a complete production chain covering spinning, weaving, and garment manufacturing, its export competitiveness is expected to be further enhanced.

Looking at actual data, Egypt's garment exports have maintained rapid growth. In the first 8 months of 2026, garment exports amounted to approximately $2.525 billion, up 16% from the same period last year. Among these, exports to the European market reached $1.1087 billion, up 26% year-on-year; exports to Spain reached $227 million, an increase of 61%.

However, Ghazal believes this growth rate is still insufficient to support the $20 billion 2030 target. Based on current capacity, historical growth levels, and market opportunities, without significant acceleration, export scale would only reach about $4 billion by then.

He sees small and medium-sized enterprises as a key source of future growth. Data shows that in the first 7 months of 2026, the number of Egyptian garment export companies increased from 722 in the same period last year to 749. But Ghazal emphasized that an increase in the number of exporters alone is not enough; more Egyptian companies also need to participate in the international production system through direct exports, original equipment manufacturing (OEM), and private label production.

He called for greater support for small and medium-sized enterprises, enhancing production capacity and strengthening their connections with international buyers and supply chains. Ghazal said whether the $20 billion target can be achieved ultimately depends on capacity expansion, development of new markets, and an increase in Egypt's share of the global textile and apparel value chain.

Source: Egypt Targets USD 20bn Textile And Garment Exports By 2030 · Originally published on 2026-09-30