Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the government is preparing a comprehensive housing programme that includes rental apartments, social housing, and units for middle-income households. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is expected to formally introduce the initiative, which aims to increase affordable housing access over the next four years.
Speaking at the Egypt Forum 2026, Madbouly stated that the programme will integrate rental options with existing ownership schemes. This strategy targets households that cannot afford units offered by private developers. The government has already completed or is currently developing approximately two million units through projects such as Sakan Misr, Dar Misr, and Janna, which feature long-term payment plans of up to 20 years.
Reviving the Rental Market
The government intends to re-establish rental housing as a primary option, a model that declined in Egypt following legislative changes in the 1960s and 1970s. Madbouly noted that the president has linked the historical decline of the rental market to the rise of informal settlements. By diversifying housing options, the state aims to meet current demand and prevent the growth of future informal areas.
International comparisons support this shift, according to the prime minister. He noted that in many developed economies, rental units comprise between 50% and 60% of the housing market. Consequently, rental housing will serve as a central pillar of the administration’s new strategy to improve affordability for citizens across various income brackets.
Future Implementation
The new initiative will run alongside the existing “Sakan Likol Al-Masryeen” (Housing for All Egyptians) project. The government plans to offer thousands of rental units in the near term as part of this expansion. These measures are part of a broader government focus on market regulation and social protection, which also includes significant allocations for food subsidies.
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