Egypt will roll out a 40.3 billion Egyptian pound ($857 million) social protection package ahead of Ramadan, Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said on Sunday, as the government seeks to cushion households from persistent inflation pressures.
The package, approved following directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, includes temporary cash top-ups for ration-card holders and beneficiaries of social solidarity programs, along with additional spending on healthcare and rural development.
Kouchouk said 10 million ration-card families will receive an extra 400 pounds (about $8.50) in March and April 2026, at a total cost of 8 billion pounds ($170 million). Egypt’s ration subsidy system covers around 60 million people. Under the program, each registered person receives 50 pounds (about $1.06) per month to buy basic food items, while additional family members beyond four receive 25 pounds (about $0.53).
Another 4 billion pounds ($85 million) will fund a 400-pound ($9) bonus during Ramadan and Eid for 5.2 million families enrolled in the Takaful and Karama cash-transfer program, which targets low-income households.
Kouchouk added that 45,000 beneficiaries of the child pension and the rural women pioneers program will receive an extra 300 pounds (about $6.40) during Ramadan and Eid.
Beyond direct cash support, the package allocates 3 billion pounds ($64 million) to reduce waiting lists for critical medical procedures and another 3 billion pounds ($64 million) to expand state-funded treatment for uninsured low-income patients from February through June 2026.
An additional 3.3 billion pounds ($70 million) will accelerate the rollout of universal health insurance in Minya governorate starting April 1, with the state treasury covering contributions for those unable to pay.
Kouchouk said 15 billion pounds ($319 million) will go to the presidential Haya Karima rural development initiative to speed up work on around 1,000 projects, while 4 billion pounds ($85 million) will finance an increase in the 2026 wheat procurement price to 2,350 pounds (about $50) per ardeb, up from 2,200 pounds (about $47).
The government has repeatedly expanded social spending since 2022 to mitigate the impact of soaring prices following currency devaluations and global commodity shocks. A similar package was approved in February 2025 ahead of Ramadan.
However, critics say support remains limited relative to broader fiscal priorities. Allocations for social solidarity pensions and Takaful and Karama represent about 1.1% of total spending in the 2025–2026 budget, while the child pension accounts for just 0.003%, compared with debt interest payments, which consume the largest share of expenditure.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights has previously argued that the current minimum wage of 7,000 pounds (about $149) per month is insufficient to lift a family of four above the poverty line, underscoring the continued strain on household budgets.
