- Enterprises across MENA expect a 197% return on digital transformation investment, with spending set to average 9.3% of revenues through to 2032
- Seven in ten GCC enterprises say telecoms policy and regulation support transformation, although barriers continue to affect investment and project delivery across the wider region
- AI and 5G will account for almost a third of MENA enterprises’ transformation spending, with 69% ranking 5G as their most important connectivity network
November 2026, Doha: Enterprises across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) plan to invest an average 9.3% of revenues in digital transformation through to 2032, but one in nine report postponing some investment because of telecoms policy and regulatory requirements in the past two years. The findings, from GSMA Intelligence research highlighted at MWC26 Doha, show substantial investment ambitions alongside barriers to delivery.
The MENA Enterprise Digital Transformation Report 2026 draws on responses from digital transformation decisionmakers and those advising them at 885 enterprises across ten MENA countries, including 423 enterprises across five GCC countries. It forms part of GSMA Intelligence’s Global Digital Transformation Survey 2026, covering 6,342 enterprises across 50 countries and ten vertical sectors.
MENA enterprises plan to allocate an average 9.3% of revenues to digital transformation between 2026 and 2032, close to the global average of 9.6%. Enterprises in the UAE and Saudi Arabia plan to invest above the global average, at 10.9% and 10.7% of revenues respectively. Expected returns across MENA stand at 197%, compared with 207% globally.
Yet delivering those returns will not be straightforward. The cost of implementation and the challenge of integrating new technologies with existing systems are each cited by 41% of MENA enterprises. Only 3% say they currently face no implementation challenges.
Strong GCC policy support, with barriers remaining across MENA
Most enterprises across the region see telecoms policy and regulation as supporting their transformation ambitions. Across MENA, 61% say current frameworks support their ability to pursue digital transformation or commercialise connected products and services, matching the global average. That figure rises to 70% in the GCC.
However, 28% of MENA enterprises say current frameworks hinder transformation. Among this group, half identify licensing and authorisation regimes as a barrier, followed by compliance with data protection, privacy and digital identity requirements (43%) and alignment with sector-specific rules (42%).
These barriers are affecting investment decisions. Across all MENA enterprises surveyed, 11% report postponing some digital transformation investment and 8% cancelling projects entirely because of telecoms policy and regulatory requirements in the past 24 months. A further measure of the impact is that 15% changed technology choices and 13% lowered their expected returns.
Overall, 27% of MENA enterprises report a negative impact on transformation projects from telecoms policy and regulatory requirements during this period, compared with 24% globally and 23% in the GCC.
Enterprises identify priorities for policy modernisation
Accelerating the deployment of modern digital infrastructure, including 5G, AI, cybersecurity and cloud, is MENA enterprises’ leading policy modernisation priority, cited by 44%. Other priorities include more agile regulation and reform of legacy frameworks; secure, resilient connectivity; a pro-investment and pro-innovation environment; and clear, consistent data governance and cross-border data-transfer rules.
In Qatar, enterprises rank regulatory agility and reform of legacy frameworks as their leading modernisation goal, including faster, more predictable approvals and more flexible licensing. Accelerating infrastructure deployment and ensuring secure, resilient connectivity complete their top three priorities.
Across the region, regulatory agility ranks first in the UAE, while enterprises in Saudi Arabia and Morocco prioritise faster deployment of modern digital infrastructure. In Morocco, secure, resilient connectivity and clear data governance and cross-border data-transfer rules complete the top three.
Looking ahead over the next three years, MENA enterprises want telecoms policymakers and regulators to prioritise AI and cybersecurity, each cited by 57%, followed by connectivity networks at 56%.
Pablo Iacopino, Head of Research and Commercial Content at GSMA Intelligence, said: “Our global research shows that enterprises are committing substantial investment to digital transformation, but cost, integration and regulatory barriers continue to affect delivery. MENA reflects that broader picture, with investment plans and expected returns close to global averages. The stronger policy support reported by GCC enterprises is encouraging, while the differences between markets underline the importance of understanding local conditions.”
Nadia Brahmi, Technology Director, GSMA MENA added: “Enterprises across MENA have clear ambitions for digital transformation, but their priorities vary from market to market. In Qatar, businesses are calling faster, more predictable approvals and more flexible licensing at the top of their policy modernisation agenda. MWC Doha provides an opportunity to bring these enterprise voices into the policy conversation and agree practical steps that help businesses move their investments forward.”
AI and 5G underpin regional transformation plans
AI and 5G together are expected to account for 32% of MENA enterprises’ digital transformation spending through to 2032. Almost seven in ten enterprises (69%) identify 5G as the most important connectivity network for the success of their transformation, compared with 66% globally.
AI adoption is also advancing. Among MENA enterprises undertaking digital transformation, 44% are already making advanced use of AI. Of these, 60% report a clear positive impact across their business.
The findings highlight the importance of aligning policy priorities with enterprise investment plans, helping businesses adopt new technologies while addressing the cost and integration challenges that can hold back deployment.
The MENA report forms part of GSMA Intelligence’s wider Enterprise in Focus research series. The accompanying global report and interactive dashboard provide comparisons across regions, countries, sectors and enterprise sizes.
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Methodology
Findings are from the GSMA Intelligence Enterprise in Focus: Global Digital Transformation Survey 2026. Between May and July 2026, GSMA Intelligence surveyed 6,342 enterprises undertaking digital transformation across 50 countries and 10 vertical sectors, interviewing decisionmakers for digital transformation projects and those who advise them. Enterprises are classified by employee numbers: SMEs (20–249 employees, 30% of the sample), large enterprises (250–9,999 employees, 63%) and mega enterprises (10,000 or more employees, 8%). Unless stated otherwise, figures are aggregate or weighted averages across all countries and sectors surveyed.
The verticals surveyed: financial services, manufacturing and industrial sectors, utilities and energy, automotive and mobility, transportation, logistics and warehousing, retail, healthcare, public sector, media and entertainment, and agriculture, forestry and fishing.
About GSMA Intelligence
GSMA Intelligence is the research and consulting arm of the GSMA, the global body representing 1,100+ mobile operators. It provides trusted data, research and insight that underpin strategic decisions across the global mobile and digital ecosystem. Its data platform offers comprehensive analysis covering the full mobile industry, including 1,000+ mobile operators, 4,500+ mobile networks and more than 50 million data points. Its research and consulting services help organisations understand market trends, benchmark performance and identify growth opportunities across cellular connections, financials, spectrum, IoT and enterprise, subscribers and devices, and the wider economic context shaping every market.
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