MENA e-commerce trends · Q2 2026
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt — paid media and marketplace dynamics across a quarterly read.
By Yara Khalil · MENA Lead
MENA has grown faster than EMEA for six consecutive quarters. Q2 2026 data confirms the pattern; but every country is its own game.
Saudi Arabia: Vision 2030 grant programs have driven local-brand paid-media investment up 38% year-over-year. TikTok Ads is entering the market quickly; Meta is still dominant but the gap is closing.
UAE: dual-marketplace strategy across noon and Amazon has become standard. Ramadan campaign budgets are up 22% vs. 2025. Live shopping has not yet reached Türkiye's adoption — a good pilot window.
Egypt: inflation has locked digital advertising into local-currency-based ROAS. Agencies running EUR or USD attribution can't see real performance. An EGP-based dashboard is mandatory.