Since 2012, Facebook has grown its MENA user base by 264%.
However, in some Middle East countries, Facebook usage has dropped substantially (-20%) since 2013, according to research from Northwestern University in Qatar (NUQ).
Reach among Arab Nationals was 94% in 2013, but 74% in 2017. Since 2015, among nationals, Facebook usership dropped from 76%-55% in Saudi Arabia, in UAE from 83%-70%, and Qatar from 43% to 22%, NUQ found.
Image: Facebook use among nationals. Source: Northwestern University in Qatar
Despite this decline in usage, Jonathan Labin, managing director of Facebook Middle East notes how users are engaging with a wider range of Facebook products.
NUQ’s data supports this highlighting a 400% growth in Facebook Messenger, and 40% growth in Instagram use, Arabian Business reported.
Egypt remains the MENA country with the biggest number of Facebook users: 17 million.
But, this is also the lowest population, based on percentage of users, at 30%.
In 2017, Facebook opened its new regional headquarters in Dubai (see image below). The social network opened its first office in the region back in 2012.
Image: Facebook’s new regional headquarters in Dubai. Source: Arabian Business
Damian Radcliffe 