Electricity project contracts awarded across 14 Middle Eastern and North African countries reached $315.7 billion between 2016 and April 2026, reflecting the region’s accelerating investment in power infrastructure, according to the MEED magazine.
The contracts averaged about $28.7 billion annually, driven by population growth, urban expansion, major development projects and rising industrial demand for electricity.
Saudi Arabia accounted for the largest share, with more than $135.2 billion in awarded contracts, followed by the United Arab Emirates with $49.7 billion, underscoring the two countries’ leading positions in regional electricity investments.
Annual contract awards increased from about $12.8 billion in 2016 to a record more than $80 billion in 2024, before declining to around $66.9 billion in 2025. Contracts awarded in the first four months of 2026 totaled about $10.4 billion.
Power generation projects represented the largest portion of investment, at $215.2 billion, while electricity transmission projects accounted for about $100.5 billion.
The report said electricity infrastructure has become a key component of the region’s economic transformation, with governments investing in energy security, more efficient grids, smart transmission systems and regional electricity interconnections.
Despite geopolitical and global economic challenges, MENA countries are continuing to implement major energy transformation programs while strengthening the resilience of their power systems to support economic growth.
Saudi Arabia also led the region in installed electricity capacity in 2024, with approximately 121.4 gigawatts (GW), followed by Egypt at 63.5 GW and the UAE at 45.5 GW.
