Mahmoud Ghazal, a member of the Egyptian Textile Industry Chamber and chairman of Nile Textile Industrial Company (NTI), said Egypt's stated goal of raising annual textile and apparel exports to $20 billion by 2030 is not unattainable, but it requires a new strategy to accelerate export growth and to bring more local companies into global value chains and supply chains.

Key points

  • From January to August 2026, Egypt's garment exports totaled about $2.525 billion, up 16% year on year; exports to Europe reached $1.087 billion, up 26%, while exports to Spain hit $227 million, a surge of 61%.
  • Based on historical growth rates, production capacity and accessible markets, Ghazal estimates that without significant acceleration, export scale can only reach about $4 billion, far below the $20 billion target.
  • In the first seven months of 2026, the number of Egyptian garment exporting companies rose to 749 from 722 in the same period a year earlier, and the industry believes that expanding the base alone is not enough to support the target.

Looking at the latest data, the momentum in Egypt's garment exports comes mainly from the European market. From January to August 2026, Egypt's total garment exports were about $2.525 billion, up 16% year on year; exports to Europe were $1.087 billion, up 26%; and exports to Spain were especially strong at $227 million, a rise of 61%.

However, Ghazal pointed out that there is still a clear gap between this growth rate and the 2030 target. Based on historical growth levels, existing production capacity and coverable markets, he estimates that without obvious acceleration measures, Egypt's textile and apparel exports may ultimately reach only about $4 billion.

Ghazal believes Egypt has the foundation to achieve the target: it is strategically located, has signed a wide range of trade agreements, is close to major consumer markets, and has the conditions to build a complete production chain from spinning and weaving to garment manufacturing. He estimates that if Egypt can capture about 5% of the global textile and apparel market, its exports could reach $20 billion.

But gaining share depends on expanding the exporter base. Ghazal sees small and medium-sized enterprises as an important engine for future export growth. Data show that in the first seven months of 2026, the number of Egyptian garment exporters rose to 749 from 722 in the same period a year earlier. He also stressed that simply increasing the number of exporters is not enough, and that more Egyptian companies need to participate in global production through direct exports, original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and private-label manufacturing.

In Ghazal's view, supporting SMEs, improving their production capacity and helping them connect with international orders and supply chains can broaden Egypt's export base and raise local value added. Ultimately, achieving the $20 billion target still depends on a clear execution strategy, capacity expansion, opening new markets and deeper integration into global value chains.

Source: ZAWYA: Egypt’s current textile export growth insufficient to reach $20bln target by 2030: NTI Chief · Originally published on 2026-09-30