As Egypt’s infrastructure boom moves from construction into operation, a less visible opportunity is emerging: who will keep these assets running — and how much of that value can Egypt capture? Egypt’s infrastructure story has largely been measured by what has been built: highways, railways, ports, power plants and new cities. The OECD’s 2026 review of Egyptian infrastructure places maintenance within a broader lifecycle framework covering renewals, upgrades, service levels and contract management. Road maintenance accounts for about 30 per cent of total road infrastructure expenditure over the lifecycle in OECD countries, while routine and major rail maintenance typically represents 20-35 per cent of annual rail spending. Equally, permanent dependence on imported components and foreign expertise would allow part of the value generated by Egypt’s infrastructure stock to flow abroad.