Annual Spending on Digital Transformation Across the Middle East, Türkiye & Africa to Top $74 billion by 2026
Dubai – Digital transformation investments in the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa (META) are set to more than double across the 2021–2026 period, according to the latest forecast from International Data Corporation (IDC). The global technology research, consulting, and events firm says that digital transformation spending in the region will accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16% over the five-year period, topping $74 billion in 2026 and accounting for 43.2% of all ICT investments made that year.
“For many organizations, the digital and tech investments they made during the pandemic to build resilience could be put to test in 2023 across key business dimensions such as customer experience, operations, and financial management, among others,” says Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC’s group vice president and regional managing director for the META region. “The implementation of further digitalization in critical areas and a more rapid shift to a ‘digital business’ approach will be key to separating the thrivers from the survivors.
“No matter what the economy throws at us over the coming 12 months, organizations must not lose sight of their digital aspirations. The focus should be on enabling clear and measurable outcomes, and digital spending needs to transition from building to scaling. Indeed, IDC predicts that by 2027, at least 30% of the C-suite’s focus will be on scaling innovation and operating a truly digital business. Automation will sit at the heart of this process, helping to reduce the cost of IT operations, address labor shortages, and increase the velocity of innovation.”
Globally, IDC expects spending on digital technology by organizations to grow at eight times the economy in 2023, establishing a foundation for organizations to drive operational excellence, competitive differentiation, and long-term growth. IDC will expand on these insights as it hosts the META region’s most influential technology vendors, telecommunications operators, and IT service providers at IDC Directions 2023 Middle East, Türkiye & Africa.
Taking place on February 1 at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre, this in-person event will address the theme ‘Navigating Disruption in the Age of Digital Business’. It will examine the very latest digital acceleration trends shaping end-user investment priorities across the region, providing essential guidance to the region’s foremost ICT vendors on proven best practices for transforming themselves into new-age digital partners for their customers.
To learn more about IDC Directions 2023 Middle East, Türkiye & Africa, please contact Sheila Manek at [email protected] or on +971 4 446 3154. You can also join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #IDCDirectionsMETA.
About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.
IDC in the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa
For the META region, IDC retains a coordinated network of offices in Riyadh, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, Cairo, and Istanbul, with a regional center in Dubai. Our coverage couples local insights with international perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of markets in these dynamic regions. Our market intelligence services are unparalleled in depth, consistency, scope, and accuracy. IDC currently fields over 130 analysts, consultants, and conference associates across the region. To learn more about IDC MEA, please visit www.idc.com/mea. You can follow IDC MEA on Twitter at @IDCMEA.
