A shopkeeper is seen inside one of the newly introduced unified-design kiosks on the sidewalk of a street in downtown Cairo on September 18, 2026. Cairo's omnipresent street kiosks, where commuters grab cigarettes, children buy sweets, and residents stop for cold drinks or phone credit, are set for a makeover that some fear could price many small operators out of business. Authorities in the Egyptian capital this week launched a scheme to standardise thousands of licensed kiosks, giving existing operators three months to adopt a unified design costing between 50,000 and 60,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,000-$1,200), a hefty sum for many small business owners. (Photo by Ahmed HASAN / AFP via Getty Images)