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Newly-published research has indicated that Shahid VIP – the Arabic SVOD platform, part of MBC GROUP – will continue to dominate the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) streaming market for the next five years, outperforming both homegrown and global competitors.
In the latest research analysing streaming trends up to 2026, Dataxis – the global business intelligence and media firm specialising in TV, telecom, and media – forecasts that Shahid VIP will enjoy steady growth, whilst retaining its position as the leading streaming service in the MENA region.
As of 2021, Shahid VIP has over 2 million subscribers, with this figure expected to reach nearly 3 million by the end of 2022, according to Dataxis.
Additionally, Shahid VIP’s subscriber base is expected to reach at least 7 million subscribers by 2026 – ahead of any other streaming service available in the region, including global players.
“As always, we are absolutely delighted with Shahid VIP’s achievements – our position as the market leader in the region is, by no means, a privilege we take lightly,” said Natasha Matos-Hemingway, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Shahid. “Rather, it is testament to our continuous focus on our audiences, bringing the best and most diverse premium Arabic stories to multiple screens in the region and beyond, along with high-quality partnerships with major brands – from news and drama, to entertainment and sport from around the world.
“And we’re just scratching the surface of what’s to come. Our knowledge and expertise in the region have allowed us to deliver an unrivalled user experience and line up; we will continue to create more originals, and also bring more stories from around the world, in a variety of genres suitable for the whole family. We strive for Shahid VIP to always be the number one streaming brand of choice.”
10 MILLION USERS IN 18 COUNTRIES
According to Dataxis’s research, the Arab MENA’s OTT streaming market has been “rapidly increasing”, gaining more than 30% subscribers between 2020 and 2021, and reaching close to 10 million users in 18 countries. The trend is expected to sharpen in the next five years, with subscribers expected to triple by 2026 and reach close to 30 million.
The GCC makes up the biggest percentage of streaming service users, with approximately 3 million subscribers in Saudi Arabia and more than 2 million in the United Arab Emirates.
