Egypt Orders Restaurants, Shops to Close by 9 PM to Save Energy

Egypt's monthly natural gas import bill has nearly tripled, from $560 million to $1.65 billion for the same volume, and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced Wednesday that restaurants, cafes, malls, and shops across the country will close by 9 p.m. starting March 28 as part of a one-month emergency energy rationing package.

Madbouly made the announcement at a press conference on March 18, citing the Ministry of Electricity's assessments and the broader shock to global fuel markets. "Starting from Saturday, March 28, shops, malls, restaurants, and cafes will close at 9 p.m. on weekdays, and at 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays," he said. The closures run for five days at the earlier hour, with the later 10 p.m. cutoff applying on Thursdays and Fridays, according to the Xinhua wire report of Madbouly's remarks. Egyptian Streets reported the extended closing time applying to Fridays and Saturdays; Bloomberg described it applying "at weekends" without specifying days. The discrepancy has not been resolved in the official documents released so far.

The scale of the cost increase driving the order is striking. Oil prices, Madbouly said, climbed from $69 a barrel before the regional conflict to as high as $108.50, while diesel and liquefied petroleum gas have also seen steep increases. Egypt has already raised domestic fuel prices in response. The conflict in question is the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military confrontation with Iran, which has created heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and disrupted global energy markets and trade flows.

Beyond the restaurant and retail sector, the measures extend across Egypt's public and commercial infrastructure. Street lighting will be cut to minimal levels and all roadside advertising boards will be switched off. After the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, government offices will close at 6 p.m., with remaining administrative tasks handled remotely. Madbouly also said the government is exploring permitting certain public-sector employees to work from home one or two days per week, though essential services requiring full on-site staffing are excluded.

The 9 p.m. cutoff lands hard in a country where late-night commerce is deeply embedded in daily life. Egypt's population of 110 million includes tens of millions of people who routinely shop and dine well past midnight, making the order a significant cultural disruption as much as an economic one.

Madbouly acknowledged the measures will affect people working in these establishments but said the government is adopting a gradual approach to "minimize harm while addressing the current situation." He added that the government may reverse the measures if energy market conditions improve.

The order takes effect in nine days. What remains unclear is the enforcement mechanism, which categories of businesses may be exempt, and whether the measures will outlast their one-month window if the regional conflict continues driving fuel costs higher.