Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said Wednesday the government has no immediate plans to raise electricity prices, pushing back against social media speculation linking International Monetary Fund (IMF) talks to potential tariff increases. Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Madbouly emphasised that reducing inflation remains the government's top priority. "Our goal for 2026 is a significant decline in inflation, targeting around 8–8.5 per cent. Any price adjustments are carefully scheduled to avoid negatively impacting this objective," he said. He stressed that past price changes, such as fuel adjustments, were announced well in advance and implemented according to a clear plan. "We do not make sudden decisions. Controlling inflation means avoiding increases in items that could drive it higher," Madbouly added. The comments come amid heightened social media chatter suggesting electricity tariffs could rise in January as part of broader fiscal reforms, a scenario Madbouly sought to dispel. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
