The value of the space market in the Middle East and Africa region was $ 18 billion, according to a recently released report by Boston Conseling Group entitled “Governments in Space: a world full of opportunities.” In addition to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Qatar is the main pillar of civil investments in space in the region, where each of them contributes actively to the emergence of the countries of the Cooperation Council as a major center for innovation and space ambition.
Qatar has invested 220 million dollars in civil space activities for the year 2024, a contribution of approximately 5% of the market today, and a slightly less than 5% of the operating services market, which enhances the collective leadership of the Gulf Cooperation Council states and provides a solid base for future growth.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also taking wide steps towards achieving its space ambitions, as it invested about $ 220 million in civil space activities in 2024. This investment represents a share of about 20-25% of government spending on space in the Middle East and Africa, which enhances the Kingdom’s growing role in drawing the features of the space scene in the region. It is expected that it will acquire more than 20% of the operating services market regionally.
The UAE has also invested 443 million dollars in the civil space for the year 2024, equivalent to about 40-45% of government spending at the region level, which qualifies it to acquire more than 50% of the operating services market, including satellite communications and Earth monitoring, and about 70% of the space market in the world.
Faisal Hammadi, the authorized manager and partner at Boston Conseling Group, said: It is expected that all the three markets will grow at an annual growth rate of 5% or more until 2033, the same as the growth rate of global space economy, which confirms the continuous commitment and momentum of the region in the long run.
National programs that achieve strong returns
The report stresses the importance of strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors in accelerating the pace of the development of the space sector, as Saudi partnerships with NASA and Axium appear, in addition to the participation of the private sector from parties such as the Neo Space Group, the extent of the success and effectiveness of hybrid investment models. The Qatari satellite, Suhail Sat, plays a very important role in regional communications via satellites, while the Emirati al -Amal probe is a prominent example of the success of international cooperation frameworks.
