IAB MENA, Altman Solon Unveil Altman 2025 State of Digital Advertising in MENA Study

Survey of MENA ad publisher execs reveals region’s digital ad channel and product investment priorities, with 86% of respondents concerned over lack of data transparency.

DUBAI – A new study shows that while digital advertisers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) expect increased demand for inventory from emerging digital ad channels, such as DOOH, CTV and Digital Audio, improving advertiser education and access to broader campaign data could amplify market growth through greater trust in the digital ad ecosystem.

The Altman Solon 2025 State of Digital Advertising in MENA Study is a collaboration between IAB MENA, the thought leader of the interactive marketing and advertising industry in the region, and Altman Solon, the largest global telecommunications, media, and technology consulting firm, to deliver in-depth analysis of the digital advertising investment sentiment and related trends in the region.

“MENA has the audience scale and digital ad appetite to be a key market for growth,” said Altman Solon Associate Partner Daniel Weinbaum. “The market size and under-penetration of non-social digital ad channels present an exciting opportunity for publishers and ad techs to evolve the MENA ecosystem through ad tech and advertiser education. We believe that the findings of this study, along with the ongoing work of IAB MENA in facilitating industry collaboration, will contribute to scaled regional growth in the few years.”

This joint study explores and compares the investment rationales and expectations of MENA-based digital ad buyers, advertisers, and suppliers. It found that 86% of MENA advertisers surveyed believe the top challenge facing the industry is a lack of data transparency. A noteworthy 88% of advertisers indicated a sub-standard in-house understanding of digital ad buys.

“Transparency, collaboration, and innovation are clearly evident as key drivers of growth. MENA is already one of the biggest and fastest-growing digital ad markets in EMEA, but by strengthening partnerships throughout the ecosystem, from publishers to agencies, advertisers to tech providers, there is still significant headroom for growth,” added Ian Manning, IAB MENA Executive Director.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE REPORT

The study also examines strategic efforts which publishers and ad buyers in MENA can take to further scale digital ad spend, including:

• Digital ad publisher product and service offering enhancements
• Revenue-generating ad tech investment priorities for MENA publishers and ad buyers
• Drivers for ad buyer activation for emerging digital ad channels and premium inventory
• Perceived preferred mitigation tactics for MENA-specific ad growth challenges

The survey of approximately 300 MENA senior marketing leaders, ad agency executives, and digital ad suppliers was conducted from October 2024 until February 2025.

For media inquiries, please contact our media communications team.  
mediainquiries@altmansolon.com