Dubai continues to strengthen its position as the UAE’s largest outdoor advertising market, accounting for around 73% of a market that recorded AED 3.5 billion in spending during 2025, according to a recent PwC study.
The figures highlight the scale of Dubai’s outdoor advertising sector and the level of activity it continues to attract from investors and brands.
Mansoor Al Sabahi, CEO of Mada Media, said the current indicators confirm the strength and stability of the market, noting that it is still too early to discuss the growth rate achieved during 2026.
He added that the sector’s growth is linked to its regulation and development, the introduction of more investment opportunities and strategic assets, and attracting companies to new urban areas. Other factors include tourist flows, heavy traffic, the digitization of advertising, stronger compliance with regulations, and adherence to the technical guide for commercial advertising.
AED 1.5 Billion in Contracts in the First Half of 2026
Al Sabahi said the value of contracts signed by Mada Media during the first half of 2026 reached approximately AED 1.5 billion, covering 683 advertising assets under long-term contracts extending over several years. The contracts were awarded through auctions characterized by unified procedures and transparency.
He added that the company had completed around 70% of its 2026 financial plan and expects to achieve its full targets by the end of the year, depending on the size and nature of the assets to be offered after the required studies and approved procedures are completed.
He explained that extending the application deadline for investors during the previous phase gave them an opportunity to benefit from these strategic opportunities.
New Advertising Assets to Be Offered in the Second Half
Al Sabahi said Mada Media plans to offer an important group of advertising assets during the second half of 2026, although the plan remains under study and its details cannot yet be disclosed.
He added that Mada Media is focused on expanding the investor base for naming-rights agreements across all metro lines, including the Blue Line, which the company is authorized to manage under its concession agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority.
222 Advertising Boards Digitized
Al Sabahi said the company had achieved its 2026 targets for billboard digitization after converting 222 large and medium-sized static advertising boards into digital displays.
He explained that investors will make significant investments in digitizing the assets under their management, with digital transformation requirements for suitable assets included in advertising contracts and auction conditions.
He stressed that digitization is not an objective in itself. Instead, it depends on the readiness of the assets, the suitability of their locations, and their surrounding urban environment, while taking into consideration Dubai’s visual appeal, the prevention of visual pollution, and public safety, in support of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.
Digital Advertising Is Reshaping the Global Market
Al Sabahi said a report by the World Out of Home Organization, or WOO, showed that global spending on digital assets reached $25.5 billion in 2025, accounting for 47% of outdoor advertising revenue worldwide.
That share is expected to rise to 49% by the end of 2026.
Programmatic advertising reached $2.1 billion in 2025, representing 8.4% of global digital out-of-home advertising revenue.
Dubai Metro Naming Rights Attract Global Brands
Al Sabahi said Mada Media signed a naming-rights agreement for the station formerly known as Onpassive with Swiss sports brand Garmin. It was the first such agreement with a global brand.
He added that work is underway on another agreement, which will be announced once the official procedures have been completed.
The team is also reviewing several applications based on criteria that include the station’s location, passenger numbers, the nature of the surrounding area, and how well the proposed brand fits the location and the identity of the people living in the area.
Al Sabahi said the Al Fardan Exchange station advertising board recorded 62 million views, while the National Paints station board generated more than 12 million views during 2025.
New Opportunities With the Dubai Metro Blue Line
Al Sabahi said Mada Media holds the exclusive right to sell the naming rights for 11 of the 14 stations included in the Blue Line, which is scheduled to begin operations in September 2029.
Among the most prominent is the Emaar Properties station in Dubai Creek Harbour, which will be the world’s highest metro station and will have a capacity of up to 160,000 passengers per day.
Growing Investor Interest
Al Sabahi said current indicators show increasing interest from local, regional, and international investors in Dubai’s outdoor advertising sector.
He pointed to competition for the assets being offered, the expanding number of companies participating in auctions, and the commitments associated with developing and digitizing advertising assets.
Regulating Dubai’s Outdoor Advertising Market
The CEO of Mada Media explained that the company is not an advertising operator or a competitor to advertising companies and does not hold a market share of advertising assets.
Mada Media was established under Law No. 20 of 2024 as a private joint-stock company affiliated with the Dubai Investment Fund, with the aim of regulating, developing, and managing the outdoor advertising sector in the emirate.
Al Sabahi said the company’s responsibilities include standardizing advertising permit procedures, managing them through a single platform, simplifying the customer journey, expanding investment in the sector, supporting further growth opportunities, preserving the emirate’s visual identity and urban landscape, and strengthening sustainability.
