Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) has revealed that the informal economy contributes over 90 percent of the country’s private sector output, according to findings from the Sixth Economic Census for 2022/2023, announced during World Statistics Day celebrations.
The report recorded approximately 3.9 million economic establishments nationwide, with 99.8 percent operating within the private sector. It further showed that 15.2 million people are employed, of which 93.9 percent work in the private sector, while total national output stood at EGP 8.9 trillion. Wages amounted to EGP 744.2 billion, and the overall added value was estimated at EGP 5 trillion.
The data revealed that the informal private sector alone generated EGP 7.6 trillion—representing 92.3 percent of total private-sector output—with about 2 million establishments, or 50.7 percent of all private entities. CAPMAS stressed that the Economic Census remains Egypt’s most comprehensive tool for assessing the structure and performance of its economy, guiding policymakers toward evidence-based decisions.
The Agency underscored the importance of these findings in supporting Egypt’s Vision 2030 by informing investment priorities, enhancing development efficiency, and integrating the informal economy into the formal system to strengthen national growth and social inclusion.