National Press Authority (NPA) Chairman Abdel Sadeq el-Shorbagy said the authority’s plans to maximise revenues and reinvest fixed assets owned by Egypt’s state-run press institutions have begun to bear fruit, with major projects in education, real estate and other sectors.
In an interview with the Middle East News Agency (MENA), Shorbagy said the strategy, launched after he assumed the NPA chairmanship in 2017, aims to leverage the institutions’ substantial human and fixed assets amid the challenges facing the newspaper industry.
He said many assets had remained underutilised for decades, prompting the authority to establish a comprehensive database covering the fixed assets of each institution and create a dedicated investment department to assess development opportunities.
Shorbagy said the authority has now reached the “harvesting the fruits” stage after five to six years of work, highlighting New Egypt University, affiliated with Akhbar El Youm Foundation, as one of the strategy’s key achievements.
The university is scheduled to begin classes in September 2026 with four faculties: Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Computing and Artificial Intelligence, and Management Sciences. The project was developed by rehabilitating existing buildings while retaining the Akhbar El Youm Academy at its current location.
The NPA chairman said other major projects include establishing a medical school affiliated with Al-Ahram Foundation, as well as a residential, administrative and commercial development for Akhbar El Youm that is expected to complete licensing procedures in the coming months.
He added that a social and sports club affiliated with Al-Ahram is also nearing completion and is expected to open within one to two months.
MENA is also part of the authority’s asset-maximisation plans, Shorbagy said, noting that the agency owns around 52 feddans of land acquired in the 1970s. He stressed that the authority is currently exploring the best investment opportunities for the land in accordance with applicable legal procedures
He stressed that major investment moves by the NPA are carried out after obtaining the necessary approvals, with the authority consulting the political leadership on important issues before taking executive steps.
Shorbagy said most current investment projects by Egypt’s national press institutions are focused on education, including schools affiliated with Rose al-Youssef, Dar Al-Tahrir and Al-Ahram, as well as a planned Akhbar El Youm school in Katameya.
He said the focus on education reflects the institutions’ broader social role in “building the human being,” adding that investment in education provides both economic returns and a community service.
The NPA chairman stressed that educational projects are intended to provide high-quality programmes aligned with labour-market needs rather than simply generate financial returns.
In this context, New Egypt University has signed an academic memorandum of understanding with Austria’s IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems to strengthen academic co-operation and enhance the quality of education.
Shorbagy said the goal is for New Egypt University graduates to be competitive and distinguished, emphasising that national press institutions aim to provide education that meets international standards.
He welcomed MENA’s efforts to develop its services and launch its podcast service, saying he had advocated the move for years and was confident it would succeed.
