Egyptian government plans to build Smart Cities by 2050

As part of its Egypt Vision 2030 Initiative, the Egyptian government has announced plans to construct new Smart Cities by the year 2050.

[1] The Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities announced that Egypt has developed Smart Cities, which [2] are recognized as key components of modern urban development in the country. He noted that the Egyptian government has implemented approximately 22 Smart Cities. During his address at the launch of the National Strategy for Smart Cities in Egypt, the Minister highlighted the government's success in this area, mentioning that the Prime Minister regularly monitors the progress of related projects. He emphasized that, for the first time in Egypt, there are smart facilities in a new city that can be controlled remotely.

There have been suggestions that [3] the initiative should be tested in smaller locations before being implemented in larger cities like Cairo or Alexandria. This concern highlights the scale of Egypt's urban challenges, which include rapid population growth, housing shortages, and a significant number of informal settlements. Additionally, the country faces a persistent issue with uneven population distribution. Currently, over 95% of Egyptians reside on a small percentage of the total land area, primarily concentrated along the fertile Nile Valley and Delta.

Ahmed Abdelwahab, [4] who is the Infrastructure General Manager for the Egypt Post, says the government is aiming to provide housing for 40 million people in new Smart Cities by 2050 and to reach this objective, there will be a strong focus on developing smart and sustainable public infrastructure. “As part of its Egypt Vision 2030 Initiative, the government plans to invest US$20 billion in housing 40 million people in new smart cities by 2050. Achieving such a goal, though, will require prioritising the development of a smart, sustainable public infrastructure, including transport, energy, and waste management systems. While some cities have successfully tapped into public‑private partnerships to integrate transportation, healthcare, and government services, others have prioritised carbon‑neutrality or adopting a comprehensive portfolio of fully automated e‑services. We can learn from all of these examples.”

“While financial returns may take time to materialise, economic benefits clearly accumulate over the longer term, ultimately delivering substantial cost savings. Smart lighting systems, for instance, can reduce costs by 50‑70%, while intelligent waste management can cut up to 30% of operating expenses,” said Abdelwahab. As of October 2025, following [5] the formal adoption of the National Smart Cities Strategy, the country has shifted its focus toward transforming existing cities into sustainable, livable, and economically dynamic urban centers. Additionally, there is an effort to revitalize established regions and enhance the previous generation of Smart Cities.

Sherif El-Sherbiny, who [6] was the Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities until February 2026 described Egypt's Smart Cities as carefully designed and interconnected urban areas that prioritize improving quality of life. These cities focus on sustainable practices and aim to build resilience in economic, social, and environmental aspects while incorporating knowledge, innovation, digitalization, and technology across all facets of urban living. “Today marks the beginning of more future partnerships to create sustainable urban cities,” said El-Sherbiny. Amr Talaat, who [7] is the Minister of Communications and Information Technology also stated the launch of 5G in Egypt represents a significant advancement in the development of the smart city ecosystem. This technology facilitates the management of thousands of sensors and data exchange by enabling ultra-high-speed transmission of instructions, as well as the retrieval of information and results. Furthermore, the importance of artificial intelligence technologies in analyzing the vast amounts of data generated is crucial for effective utility management.

Egypt's initiative [8] for smart Cities originated with Cairo's Smart Village, incorporating Internet of Things infrastructure, district cooling systems, and 15-minute clusters aimed at minimizing commutes and emissions. This model is being expanded to New Alamein, where a central data centre established by Giza Systems will oversee Green River Park, the longest green space integrated with infrastructure, telecommunications, security, and utilities. The Urban October Report 2025 outlined [9] key global discussions and initiatives focused on sustainable urbanization. Urban October facilitated 579 events in 58 countries, uniting governments, communities, and partners across the globe. “Digital technologies can be leveraged to enhance how cities and human settlements are designed, planned, managed and governed. Cities globally are leading the way, as they increasingly adopt digital technology solutions and data to deliver better services for residents and address critical urban challenges and opportunities,” said the report.

A report from the Institute of Development Studies indicates that the significant expansion of AI-enabled surveillance [10] in public spaces throughout Africa is infringing on citizens' freedoms and their fundamental right to privacy. Dr Tony Roberts, who [11] is the independent digital rights researcher and co-author of the report [12] titled Smart City Surveillance in Africa: Mapping Chinese AI Surveillance Across 11 Countries said, “Our new research shows that the rapid growth of smart city surveillance in Africa is occurring without adequate legal regulation or oversight. Unregulated surveillance creates a chilling effect that inhibits the right to peaceful protest and reduces the freedom to speak truth to power and hold governments to account. Digital surveillance of terrorists and the most serious criminals can be justified in the public interest, but installing thousands of smart CCTV cameras for the mass surveillance of all citizens suspected of no crime violates important human rights.”

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