Key Takeaways
- Engazaat plans to invest over $100 million in regional expansion
- Expansion forms part of a broader $250 million project portfolio
- Operations span Egypt, Lebanon, and the UAE under a Build–Own–Operate model
- Company launches $200 million Sustainable Infratech Fund (SAVE) with CI Capital
- Focus on integrated water, renewable energy, and agricultural infrastructure
Engazaat Targets Regional Growth in WEF Infrastructure
Engazaat, an Egypt-headquartered asset manager focused on the water, energy, and food (WEF) nexus in the Middle East and Africa, plans to invest more than $100 million in regional expansion. The investment is part of a wider $250 million project portfolio, according to Muhammad El Demerdash, founding partner and CEO.
Engazaat operates across interconnected systems—water, renewable energy, and food production—by investing in and managing infrastructure that serves agricultural, commercial, and industrial clients. The company is expanding in Egypt, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates through long-term service and utility offtake agreements under a Build–Own–Operate (BOO) model.
“We approach water, energy, and food infrastructure as one connected investment case,” El Demerdash said, noting that integrated design and financing can improve operational performance and cost efficiency.
Utilities-as-a-Service Model and Long-Term Concessions
Engazaat delivers projects through a utilities-as-a-service framework, where clients pay for delivered services—such as irrigation, water treatment, and renewable power—rather than financing infrastructure directly. The company develops, owns, and operates the assets, generating revenue through performance-based agreements.
Projects typically operate under 25-year concession periods with power and water purchase agreements structured on take-or-pay terms and denominated in US dollars and Egyptian pounds. Engazaat is also evaluating potential Public Private Partnership (PPP) opportunities in Egypt across solar, water, and agricultural infrastructure.
Sustainable Infratech Fund and Flagship Projects By Engazaat
To support its expansion, Engazaat has launched the $200 million SAVE (Sustainable Agro-Village and Entrepreneurship) Sustainable Infratech Fund in partnership with CI Capital. The fund is expected to function as a direct financing platform for clean infrastructure projects and will be regulated in Egypt and Abu Dhabi.
Among its existing projects is SAVE-1 in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis, which integrates renewable energy and water systems to support agricultural activity. The project is expected to generate 126.5 gigawatt-hours of green energy and reduce more than 460,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions over its operating life.
Founded in 2011, Engazaat has invested $33 million in projects to date, developed over 63 megawatts of solar capacity, and manages more than 15 million cubic metres of agricultural water annually. The company is also a signatory to the Abu Dhabi Global Sustainable Finance Declaration.
