Digital Ad Spend in MENA Reaches $8b in 2025, IAB Report Reveals

Why It Matters

The rapid expansion signals a shifting ad spend toward digital channels, creating new opportunities for brands and agencies targeting the MENA audience. Investors and marketers will need to reallocate budgets to capitalize on high‑growth formats like CTV and retail media.

Key Takeaways

• MENA digital ad spend hit $8.2 bn in 2025.
• Market grew 17.8% YoY, fastest globally.
• Egypt led with 23.1% YoY growth.
• CTV spend surged 31%, outpacing overall market.
• Retail media expanded 40.5%, becoming a key channel.

Pulse Analysis

The MENA digital advertising market has entered a new growth phase, with spend climbing to $8.185 billion in 2025. This 17.8% year‑on‑year rise outpaces most regions, positioning the Middle East and North Africa as the fastest‑growing digital ad hub worldwide. Such momentum reflects broader macro trends, including rising internet penetration, mobile usage, and a youthful, digitally savvy population. For multinational brands, the region now offers a scale comparable to mature markets, prompting a reassessment of media planning strategies.

Channel dynamics are reshaping the ad landscape. Social advertising grew 19.3%, driven by platforms like Instagram and TikTok, while social video surged 23.6%. More notable, connected TV (CTV) expanded 31%, eclipsing overall market growth and signaling advertisers’ appetite for premium, addressable video inventory. Retail media, a nascent but rapidly scaling segment, jumped 40.5%, highlighting the convergence of e‑commerce and advertising. Programmatic digital out‑of‑home (pDOOH) also entered the report, underscoring the diversification of digital touchpoints across the region.

Looking ahead, the IAB MENA’s enhanced econometric modeling promises greater transparency and granular insights, essential for agencies navigating a fragmented market. Advertisers must balance the allure of high‑growth formats with challenges such as varying regulatory environments and measurement standards. Nonetheless, the data suggests sustained investment in CTV, retail media, and programmatic channels will be pivotal for brands seeking to capture MENA’s evolving consumer journey. Companies that adapt early are likely to secure a competitive edge as the region’s digital ad spend continues its upward trajectory.