Natural gas exports hit 4.6 bn cubic meters in FY2020-2021, up 142% y-o-y, according to Capmas figures (pdf). Egypt became a net exporter of natural gas and LNG in 2018 after the discovery of the supergiant Zohr gas field — the Mediterranean’s largest — allowed us to pull the plug on imports.

Almost 1.7k companies have applied to join the fourth phase of FinMin’s export subsidy arrears payment program, the Finance Ministry said in a statement. The ministry opened the door for ceramic, automobile and pharma exporters to join the program’s fourth phase, the application deadline for which was at the end of November, according to the statement. The program allows exporters to receive overdue subsidies in a single payment, rather than in installments over four to five years, in return for a 15% haircut. As of last month, some 2.5k exporters had received a combined EGP 30 bn in overdue subsidies since the program launched in November last year.

Other things we’re keeping an eye on this morning:

• Foods produced in freezones for import or export will now have to pass inspection by the Egyptian Food Safety Authority.
• Egyptian company trademarks registered with the Internal Trade Development Authority’s database can now be found on the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office’s online database, Al Borsa reported.