Egypt Leads Africa in Number of Listed Companies on Stock Exchange

Egypt has consolidated its position as Africa’s largest equity market by number of listed companies, underscoring the breadth of its public corporate sector and the growing depth of its capital market compared with peers across the continent.

According to the African Capital Markets 2025 report issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Egypt tops African stock exchanges in terms of listed firms, a key indicator of market maturity and accessibility.

A separate report by Business Africa showed that the total number of companies listed across African stock exchanges stands at around 1,141 companies, out of nearly 44,000 listed companies globally.

The Egyptian Exchange (EGX) ranked first in Africa, ahead of South Africa and Nigeria, while countries such as Morocco, Kenya, and Tunisia were also cited as having relatively sizeable public equity markets.

In contrast, stock exchanges in Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia remain relatively small, each hosting between 12 and 29 listed companies, according to the report.

The OECD report noted that the total market capitalization of African stock markets reached approximately $561 billion, equivalent to nearly one-third of the continent’s GDP. However, African markets still account for only about 2% of the total market capitalization of emerging markets globally.

Egypt’s stock exchange currently lists around 250 companies, spread across the main market and the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) market. The total market capitalization stands at nearly 3 trillion Egyptian pounds (around $62 billion).

The market recorded growth of more than 42% during 2025, with cumulative growth of roughly 390% compared with the end of July 2022, highlighting the rapid expansion of Egypt’s equity market and its increasing role in financing economic growth.

Regional ranking

In terms of listed companies, Egypt is followed by:

South Africa with about 204 companies

Nigeria with around 156 companies

Mauritius with 94 companies

Tunisia with 79 companies

Strong performance in 2025

The Egyptian Exchange posted record gains in 2025, supported by momentum from the government’s IPO program, stability in the foreign exchange market, and the return of foreign investors amid improving macroeconomic indicators.

Market capitalization rose by approximately 829 billion pounds during the year, reaching about 2.998 trillion pounds.

The benchmark EGX30 index climbed 40.65%, closing at 41,828.97 points, reflecting broad-based gains across major stocks.

Analysts say Egypt’s leading position by number of listed companies strengthens its role as a regional financial hub and enhances the stock market’s contribution to long-term economic development.