MENA M&A Deals Reach $46.7 Billion in H1 2026

The Middle East and North Africa recorded 390 mergers and acquisitions worth a combined $46.7 billion in the first half of 2026, according to a recent EY report.

Activity accelerated towards the end of the second quarter, with May and June accounting for 61% of Q2 deal volume and 79% of its total value. Deal value for the quarter reached $25 billion, up from $12.2 billion in Q2 2025, even as overall activity for the first half remained below the same period last year.

Domestic transactions between March and June were valued at $16 billion, driven by activity across real estate, energy, utilities and technology. Outbound transactions included 119 deals worth $25.5 billion, led by investors from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Technology, energy, real estate and financial services remained among the most targeted sectors, while sovereign wealth funds and government-related entities continued to play a significant role in strategic investment. These included Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Mubadala and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

Among the major transactions highlighted in the report were Dubai Aerospace Enterprise’s $7 billion acquisition of Macquarie AirFinance and Savvy Games Group’s $6 billion acquisition of Shanghai Moonton Technology. Technology investment remained particularly focused on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and software.