Proposed List of Entities Mandated to Publish Their Data via the National Open Data Portal
This Annex complements Masaar’s paper “Egypt’s Open Data Policy: From a Transitional Framework to Effective Governance,” along with the “Proposed Foundational Principles for the Egyptian Data Governance Authority (EDGA),” and the “Open Data Standards.“
The effectiveness of any Open Data policy does not stop at establishing advanced technical or legal standards, but fundamentally depends on the clarity of its scope of obligation: which government entities and public institutions are legally and institutionally obliged to publish their data?
This annex specifies the entities obligated to provide their data via the National Open Data Portal, based on the philosophy presented in Egypt’s open data policy, which advocates a shift from making data available as a general promise to making it available as an enforceable and accountable practice. Citizens, researchers, and start-ups need to know where to find data relevant to their daily lives, from public budgets to transport, healthcare, and education services.
This annex classifies entities according to their sectors and functions for the purpose of developing a national commitment map that makes the national open data portal a hub for public knowledge, linking transparency, accountability and efficiency in public services.
Entities mandated to make their data available through the National Open Data Portal
- Prime Minister’s Office and Ministries
Commitment to open data must begin at the highest executive level. The Cabinet, its technical secretariat, and information centers should provide all data related to public policies, regulatory decisions, and consolidated budgets. This obligation applies without exception to all ministries — from Finance and Planning to Health, Education, Justice, and Interior — as well as to affiliated authorities and agencies such as the Tax Authority, Customs, and the Consumer Protection Agency. Publishing these datasets enables the public to monitor public spending, assess service quality, and understand government policy trends in a direct, verifiable, and evidence-based manner.
- Economic and Service Authorities and Special Funds Affiliated with Ministries and Government Bodies
This category includes entities such as the Suez Canal Authority, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, the Industrial Development Authority, and the General Authority for Investment. These institutions manage public assets and strategic resources, and their performance has a direct impact on the national economy. Accordingly, they should publish data on fees, concessions, production capacities, investment contracts, and performance reports, in order to enhance transparency in the management of natural resources and major projects.
- Public Utilities and Infrastructure
From electricity, water, and gas companies to transportation and communications authorities, these entities form the backbone of daily life. Data related to service quality, outages, maintenance schedules, and the quality of water and electricity should be accessible and regularly updated. This transparency enables citizens and investors to monitor compliance with service standards and assists the media and civil society in evaluating the sustainability of infrastructure.
- Transport, Ports, and Logistics
The transportation sector—from railways to air and seaports—requires a high level of disclosure. Publishing schedules, accident rates, capacity metrics, and service fees provides a foundation for developing smart transportation applications and helps improve public safety. Furthermore, making information on major transportation projects available in advance prevents monopolistic practices and enhances public oversight.
- Communications, Digital Transformation, and Postal Services
The scale of reliance on digital infrastructure necessitates that the Ministry of Communications, the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, the Postal Authority, and state-owned companies such as Telecom Egypt commit to periodic disclosure. Network coverage, service quality, geographic distribution of frequencies (in aggregated, non-sensitive formats), digital access indicators, and government API documentation must be made available to facilitate oversight and innovation.
- Public Finance and Taxation
The Ministry of Finance, the Egyptian Sovereign Fund, and public banks form the cornerstone of fiscal transparency. Publishing open budgets, final accounts, details of public debt, tax exemptions, and procurement contracts enables citizens and investors to understand how public funds are managed and helps prevent the entrenchment of corruption or mismanagement.
- Health and Pharmaceuticals
The Ministry of Health and its affiliated entities are mandated to publish accurate and transparent data on health expenditure, drug availability, waiting lists, hospital capacity, and medical tenders. These data not only support the citizen’s right to information, but also aids in health planning, stimulates scientific research, and supports the pharmaceutical industry.
- Education and Culture
From pre-university education to public universities and research centers, data must be made available on school mapping, student-to-teacher ratios, financial allocations, educational performance indicators, scholarships, and academic missions. Cultural institutions, such as the National Library, museums, and heritage sites, are mandated to publish their digital catalogs and collections, thereby promoting knowledge access and preserving cultural heritage.
- Housing and Urban Planning
The Urban Communities Authority, the Urban Development Fund, and companies affiliated with the Ministry of Housing are mandated to disclose master plans, housing projects, land contracts, and utilities. This disclosure helps curb manipulation in the allocation of public land and enables society to monitor the equitable distribution of resources.
- Environment and Climate
The Ministry of Environment, the Meteorological Authority, and affiliated agencies are obligated to publish data on air and water quality, environmental permits, protected area maps, climate change indicators, and environmental incidents. These data are vital for researchers, public health, and society’s right to a clean and safe environment.
- Agriculture, Irrigation, and Food Security
The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and its affiliated entities are mandated to publish data on agricultural production, reclaimed land, pricing and subsidies, food security, and strategic reserves. These data are essential to ensure transparent management of food and water resources and provide a foundation for national strategic planning.
- Social Protection and Labor
The Ministry of Social Solidarity, social insurance funds, and cash support programs are obliged to provide data on insurance coverage, poverty maps, civil society organizations funded by public money, as well as labor inspection statistics. Publishing this data enhances oversight of social safety nets and prevents their political misuse.
- Tourism and Antiquities
The tourism sector must provide data on visitor numbers, site revenues, restoration projects, and service-related contracts. This transparency enables the assessment of the sector’s economic impact and the monitoring of heritage preservation.
- Commerce and Industry
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and its affiliated entities must publish data on factory licenses, industrial zones, energy efficiency, and production capacity. These data are fundamental for encouraging equitable investment and ensuring fair competition.
- Justice
The Ministry of Justice and its affiliated bodies must provide aggregated statistical data on notarization and real estate registration services, waiting times, fees, and case volumes. While excluding anything that compromises litigation confidentiality, publishing these data enhance transparency in administrative justice.
- Media
The Supreme Council for Media Regulation and the National Press and Media Authorities are obligated to publish licenses of institutions, data on sanctions, government advertising expenditure, and ownership of public media outlets. This contributes to breaking the monopoly on information about the media market and ensuring transparency in the relationship between the state and media outlets.
- Local Government
Governorates, districts, and villages must disclose local budgets, building permits, violations, and service maps. These data enable citizens to monitor the performance of the authorities closest to their daily lives and enhances community participation.
- Financial Markets and Oversight
The Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) and the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) must publish data on listing rules, aggregated market indices, fees, and state ownership in the markets. This disclosure protects investors and enhances market integrity.
- Central Bank and Public Banks
The Central Bank and state-owned banks are obligated to publish aggregated data on financing initiatives, financial inclusion indicators, and public policies. Without compromising account confidentiality, this transparency enhances trust in the banking system.
- Endowments and Religious Affairs
The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and endowment entities must disclose maps of endowment assets and their associated revenues and expenditures. This data prevents the mismanagement of endowment resources, which are, in essence, public assets.
- Independent National Councils
Entities such as the National Council for Human Rights, the National Council for Women, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities must publish their budgets, reports, and the programs they implement. This promotes accountability and ensures that these nominally independent bodies are in fact subject to societal oversight.
- Oversight Bodies
The Central Auditing Organization and the Administrative Control Authority are required to publish aggregated performance reports, compliance indicators, and expenditure data. While excluding anything that compromises the confidentiality of investigations, these data are essential for building public trust in the effectiveness of oversight.
- National Statistics
The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics must cease monopolizing data and commit to publishing aggregated, anonymized datasets with mandatory update schedules. These high-value data are indispensable for planning, scientific research, and accountability.
- Immigration and Passports
The Ministry of Immigration and Passport Departments are obliged to provide aggregated data on service capacity, waiting times, fees, and service channels. This transparency improves service delivery and enables oversight of the management of citizens’ fundamental rights.
- International Cooperation
The Ministry of International Cooperation is required to publish data on grants, loans and aid in accordance with IATI standards, including agreements, progress and impact indicators. This ensures that international aid does not become an opaque area subject to closed political deals.
- Youth and Sports
Finally, public sports facilities and state-funded youth programs must make available data on funding, contracts, and activity schedules. This transparency enhances oversight of public spending directed to vital youth sectors.