Shop closures brought forward in Egypt. Fuel price increases of up to 30%

Cairoon 3 April 2026 has just passed 'exceptional' measures imposing the closure of shops, bars and restaurants at 9pm, with the exclusion of tourist sites vital for hard currency flows and some exemptions on specific sectors or days.

The tightening is accompanied by a two-month slowdown of maxi government projects, with the aim of 'rationalising' consumption and cushioning inflationary fallout exacerbated by the Hormuz paralysis.

The government reported an increase in its energy bill from USD 1.2 billion in January to USD 2.5 billion in March, while on 10 March the Petroleum Ministry warned of increases in fuel prices of between 14% and 30%.