Nawy Revolutionizes Egypt’s Real Estate Market with Tech-Driven Transparency

For decades, Egypt’s real estate market was fragmented and opaque, relying heavily on personal networks and commission-driven brokers. Buyers faced inefficiencies and biased advice, with developers prioritizing sales over customer needs. This landscape changed dramatically in 2019 when Mostafa El Beltagy co-founded Nawy to bring transparency and efficiency through technology.

Nawy combines a comprehensive property listing platform with brokerage services, disrupting traditional offline relationships. Initially, developers were skeptical, and brokers viewed Nawy as competition. To build trust, Nawy introduced upfront commission payments for brokers’ first transactions, sparking word-of-mouth growth. Today, over 3,000 brokerages actively use Nawy Partners, and the platform attracts more than a million monthly visitors.

Nawy’s innovation extends beyond listings and brokerage. It offers Nawy Shares, a fractional ownership product enabling investments starting at $500, opening real estate investment to Egypt’s middle-income population. Additionally, the “Move Now Pay Later” mortgage product addresses the scarcity of real estate loans by providing installment plans backed by a $23 million debt facility from leading Egyptian banks.

Despite economic volatility and a 69% devaluation of the Egyptian pound, Nawy’s revenue grew more than 50 times in dollar terms over four years. The platform closed 2024 with over $1.4 billion in gross merchandise value, fueled by real estate’s role as a hedge against inflation and currency risks. Expatriate investments also helped sustain demand amid local currency challenges.

With $52 million raised in Series A funding led by Partech Africa, plus $23 million in debt financing, Nawy is poised for regional expansion into Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The company recently acquired property management startup ROA, rebranding it as “Nawy Unlocked” to broaden its ecosystem. Integrating AI into its platform is a key focus to enhance user experience and operational efficiency.

Nawy’s journey exemplifies how technology can transform traditional industries by increasing transparency, accessibility, and trust. Its full-stack real estate ecosystem addresses market inefficiencies and empowers a broader demographic to participate in property investment. This model sets a precedent for proptech innovation across Africa and the Middle East.

Key Innovations Driving Nawy’s Success

• Integrated platform combining property listings with brokerage services to streamline transactions.
• Immediate upfront commission payments to brokers to foster trust and platform adoption.
• Fractional ownership product enabling property investment starting at $500, democratizing access.
• Innovative mortgage solutions with installment plans addressing the lack of traditional real estate loans.
• Strategic regional expansion plans targeting North Africa and the Middle East with acquisitions and AI integration.

Broader Significance and Industry Impact

Nawy’s success highlights the transformative potential of technology in emerging markets with traditionally opaque industries. By increasing transparency and accessibility, Nawy empowers a wider demographic to participate in real estate investment, fostering economic inclusion. Its model also provides a blueprint for integrating fintech solutions into property markets where traditional banking products are limited.

As Nawy expands across Africa and the Middle East, it is poised to influence regional real estate ecosystems, encouraging innovation and competition. The integration of AI and data-driven insights will further enhance user experiences and operational efficiencies, setting new standards for proptech platforms globally.