The media and leisure sector within the Center East and North Africa is poised for exceptional enlargement, with projections estimating the market to achieve US$48.43 billion by 2026 and soar to almost US$76.79 billion by 2031, in keeping with a report by Mordor Intelligence. This progress trajectory displays a compound annual progress charge (CAGR) of 9.66% over the forecast interval, pushed by speedy digital developments, beneficial demographics, and ongoing investments throughout the area.
The institution of enhanced digital infrastructure, notably by way of intensive 5G and fibre community rollouts, is remodeling media consumption habits and driving a choice for mobile-first, on-demand content material. By 2025, on-line and digital platforms are anticipated to develop into the dominant income stream, capturing virtually 60% of the general market as audiences more and more desire direct-to-consumer entry.
By way of content material classes, video-on-demand companies are projected to steer in 2025, accounting for near 30% of whole revenues. In the meantime, the promoting sector—particularly programmatic and digital codecs—is anticipated to be the fastest-growing phase by way of 2031. Though subscription companies stay a key income driver, freemium fashions and in-app purchases are more and more well-liked, notably in gaming and interactive leisure.
In 2025, promoting is projected to generate round US$13.22 billion, accounting for 29.93% of the market. This phase is anticipated to increase at an 11.05% CAGR as programmatic capabilities proceed to evolve. There’s a robust demand for high-quality scripted content material and stay sports activities, which help subscriber retention, whereas improved viewers measurement instruments are enhancing advertiser confidence. With real-time bidding gaining traction, advertising-supported fashions are set to outperform conventional transactional video codecs. The current merger of Anghami and OSN+ illustrates the development of trade consolidation, creating new alternatives for cross-selling, whereas gaming revenues are on the rise due to elevated cell utilization and the expansion of esports.
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Digital platforms accounted for 59.62% of whole income in 2025, additional emphasising the transfer towards direct-to-consumer approaches. Hybrid fashions that mix conventional tv with on-demand libraries are anticipated to develop at a ten.65% CAGR, with broadcasters like MBC bundling world streaming companies comparable to Netflix to protect promoting revenues. Subscriptions are projected to account for 45.92% of the market, whereas freemium and in-app purchases might exceed US$15.62 billion by 2031, pushed by gaming-led income fashions. Advert-supported video companies are additionally gaining reputation with rising cost-per-thousand (CPM) charges.
In demographic phrases, millennials accounted for the most important income share in 2025, whereas Era Z is the fastest-growing phase, shaping content material methods that emphasise mobile-first experiences, creator-led codecs, and esports. Smartphones stay the first machine for media consumption, accounting for 44.88% of the market worth, whereas the adoption of digital actuality (VR) and augmented actuality (AR) applied sciences is accelerating by way of regional metaverse initiatives.
Saudi Arabia holds the most important market share at 39.22% as of 2025, bolstered by Imaginative and prescient 2030 investments and swift digital developments. The UAE, then again, is the fastest-growing market, benefiting from a beneficial regulatory panorama and important worldwide funding. The trade panorama stays reasonably consolidated, dominated by main gamers like MBC Group, beIN Media Group, and OSN, whereas world entities more and more pursue partnerships and localised content material methods.
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Regardless of the optimistic outlook, the sector faces challenges comparable to piracy, fragmented regulatory frameworks, and a scarcity of expert artistic professionals. Whereas these hurdles might mood progress, they don’t undermine the area’s long-term enlargement potential.
General, trade gamers determine substantial alternatives in on-line video, gaming, promoting, and immersive media. Strategic collaborations between regional broadcasters and world streaming companies, paired with revolutionary monetisation fashions, are anticipated to drive progress and additional reshape the Center East’s media and leisure panorama.
