Egypt wants to register millions of gig workers for state insurance, aid

A file photo of labourers working at a traditional bricks factory in Arab Mesad district of Helwan, northeast of Cairo. The Egyptian government said it plans to identify and support two million gig workers in the country of 100 million people by the end of this year, said a labour ministry spokesman. — Reuters

CAIRO: Egypt will start registering millions of gig workers in order to offer them health insurance and emergency state aid during the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken a particularly heavy toll on the nation’s ad-hoc employees, officials said.

There are at least 14 million gig workers in Egypt, and while some workers and campaigners welcomed the government’s drive, others warned that many workers could be reluctant to sign up – fearing tax and social security payment demands.