Egypt in Talks with HONOR to Expand Local Smartphone Manufacturing

Egypt is stepping up efforts to localize electronics production, as Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hindi held high-level talks with global smartphone maker HONOR over plans to expand manufacturing in the country, according to the ministry.

The meeting brought together senior HONOR executives, led by Ingmar Wang, the company’s President for the Middle East and Africa, alongside key Egyptian officials and local partner representatives. Discussions focused on scaling up smartphone production at HONOR’s facility in the 10th of Ramadan industrial city, in cooperation with Etisal for Import and Export.

The move is part of HONOR’s broader strategy to position Egypt as a regional hub for its operations across the Middle East and Africa. The company aims to manufacture competitively priced, high-quality devices for the domestic market while expanding exports to neighboring countries under a “Made in Egypt” label.

Government officials emphasized that the talks align with Egypt’s national strategy to build a fully integrated mobile phone manufacturing ecosystem. The plan prioritizes leveraging local talent while facilitating technology transfer from global players, with the goal of strengthening domestic production capabilities and boosting exports.

Hindi reiterated the government’s commitment to creating an investment-friendly environment for electronics manufacturing, highlighting incentives designed to attract multinational firms and support job creation. He stressed the importance of partnerships between international companies and local entities in deepening industrial localization and driving economic growth.

HONOR, which employs more than 14,000 people globally, around 70% in research and development, has been expanding its footprint in emerging markets. The company operates a retail network of over 52,000 outlets across roughly 45 countries and has produced more than 250 million devices to date, with increasing focus on AI-powered smartphones.

Local partner Etisal described the Egypt plant as a strategic milestone, noting that it marks HONOR’s first manufacturing facility outside China. The factory is expected to play a central role in the company’s regional expansion plans, particularly in African markets.

Trial operations at the facility have already begun, with an official inauguration expected before the end of the year. The plant, built to international standards, will have an annual production capacity of up to 3 million devices. Spanning 8,000 square meters, 5,000 of which are dedicated to production, it will feature five advanced production lines and two high-performance SMT lines.