Egypt had been growing at reasonable rates of 5 and 6 percent a year, but those rates did not provide enough jobs for the rapidly growing population.  Before the revolution, there was 10 percent unemployment and 25 percent youth unemployment.

Political uncertainty following the revolution put investors on hold.  Tourism, which has traditionally been 10 percent of Egypt’s GNP, plummeted.  The economy has taken a hit at a time when people already felt there were not enough opportunities.

In the past the government used public sector jobs to keep the people happy.  But the government was not able to expand quickly enough to employ everyone.  This upset the population.  Private sector jobs were not desirable, because they are not rules-based.   Education did not prepare people for the good jobs in manufacturing and technology.

Fuel prices had been kept artificially low to make the people happy.  That encouraged too much fuel consumption, smuggling.  Benefits eventually skewed to the wealthy.

Political uncertainty is holding back any progress now.  This in depth article from Foreign Affairs gives a clear a picture of that situation.   Egypt