This report is designed to capture key developments and data related to usage of social media in the MENA region. Platform data covered for WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Video Content. You can download the presentation and request further statistics at: http://naderalmaleh.com/social-media-statistics-report-mena-2016-edition/

1. SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT
MENA
2016 Edition
by Nader al-Maleh
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2. INTRODUCTION
This report is designed to capture key developments and data
related to usage of social media in the MENA region.
2016 has seen the continued growth of visual-led social media
channels and content, especially in the Gulf region, with
significant emphasis on mobile social experience growth.
For many users, mobile is the only way they interact with social
networks. Mobile platforms, for millions in the region, will also
offer their first online experience.
The report will cover statistics for WhatsApp, Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and video content in the MENA
region.
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3. ANNUAL GROWTH: MENA
17%
Growth in the number of Active Internet Users
Growth in the number of Mobile Connections
Growth in the number of Social Media Users
Growth in the number of Mobile Social Users
3%
13%
66%
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4. WHATSAPP
2016 statistics
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5. WHATSAPP: QUICK FACTS
➤ WhatsApp, remains the most popular direct messaging
service in the region, especially with older audiences
➤ 93% of WhatsApp users are daily users of the app
➤ 62% of young Arabs (ages 18-24) use WhatsApp on a daily
basis
➤ Dubai-based billionaire Mohammad Alabbar is planning to
launch a regional rival to WhatsApp designed for Arabic
speaking audiences
➤ WhatsApp is the leading direct messaging service among
Facebook Messenger, Viber, WeChat and others
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6. WHATSAPP: QUICK STATS
Percent who use the following direct messaging service, by age
0
25
50
75
100
Ages 18-24 Ages 25-34 Ages 35-44 Ages 45+
22%24%23%24%
17%
25%
35%
39%
83%
79%
74%74%
WhatsApp Facebook Messenger Viber
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7. FACEBOOK
2016 statistics
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8. FACEBOOK: QUICK FACTS
➤ Across the region, Facebook has 136M monthly users. 93%
access Facebook on mobile. The number of active monthly
users has tripled since 2012
➤ Facebook users in the region report a median of 160 friends.
The median number of Facebook friends ranges from the
highest in Tunisia to the lowest in Saudi Arabia (332 vs 60)
➤ Users aged 18-24 typically have 230 friends, whilst Facebookers
over 45 tend to have around 80 friends on the network
➤ The MENA region has shown a great interest in the launching of
Facebook Lite and Messenger Lite as they take less space and
data requirements to operate and communicate
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9. FACEBOOK: QUICK STATS
Average number of friends people say they have on Facebook
Tunisia
UAE
Lebanon
Qatar
Egypt
KSA
0 125 250 375 500
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10. INSTAGRAM
2016 statistics
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11. INSTAGRAM: QUICK FACTS
➤ Instagram has overtaken Twitter in the region
➤ The use of Instagram in these markets have increased by 24%
since 2013. The number of Twitter users fell by 17% in this
time
➤ Instagram usage has grown from 38% of internet users across
UAE in 2014 to 60% in 2016. Usage in Saudi Arabia has
jumped from 57% in 2014 to 82% in 2016
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12. INSTAGRAM: QUICK STATS
Percent who use the following social media platforms
2013 2014 2015 2016
6%
24%
28% 30%
45%
48%
40%
28%
88% 89%
83% 82%
Facebook Twitter Instagram
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13. TWITTER
2016 statistics
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14. TWITTER: QUICK FACTS
➤ The number of Twitter active users in the region dropped
substantially (12% since last year). The micro-blogging
network remains - by a considerable margin - the leading
platform for Arab national to find news on social media.
➤ Twitter had deleted more than 125K accounts linked to ISIS
terrorists since mid-2015
➤ Algerian authorities temporarily blocked access to Twitter,
Facebook and other social media platforms in a bid to prevent
people from posting high school exam papers
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15. INSTAGRAM: QUICK STATS
Users of social media platforms who say they use it the most for
WhatsApp
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube 60%
24%
41%
25%
4%
28%
46%
18%
12%
6%
12%
30%
41%
63%
90%
Communicate directly with specific individuals or groups Find/share news Find/share entertainment
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16. SNAPCHAT
2016 statistics
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17. SNAPCHAT: QUICK FACTS
➤ The number of active Snapchat users has tripled since 2014 in Saudi
Arabia and UAE
➤ Saudi Arabia usage has grown from 24% to 74% and in the UAE from
15% to 53%
➤ Snapchat hosted their first ever regional event at Dubai Ice Rink on
May 27th. It featured stars, influencers and musicians in the region
➤ The ephemeral social network announced plans to open their first
office in the region in UAE by end of 2016
➤ Saeed Al Remeithi (32 years old), is the UAE Federal National Council’s
youngest member. Al Arabiya quoted him saying that he was “one of
the only candidates to talk to our voters exclusively on Snapchat, from
the moment I registered my candidacy to the ballot box.”
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18. VIDEO CONTENT
2016 statistics
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19. “People are watching and enjoying a lot more video on
many different platforms but particularly on mobile
and we know that as much as 25% of mobile time will
be video within the next couple of years
-Ian Manning, Head of Agencies, Facebook MENA
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20. VIDEO CONTENT: QUICK FACTS
➤ YouTube launched a new hub called Mosalsalat. Featuring more
than 500 iconic Arabic television series, it offers over 7,000 hours
of content, produced in the region
➤ YouTube created an offline viewing mode on their mobile app for
users in Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Yemen and Algeria
➤ YouTube launched Batala, a hub for female creators in MENA
featuring more than 100 female creators and 1,000 videos
➤ Comedy, news, and music are MENA’s favorite online video
genres
➤ Live video content started to dominate direct communications
between professionals and personals through different platforms
such as, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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21. “
In times of crisis, we know that information can
be as important as food, water and shelter. Yet
in this digital age, many refugees traveling
through unfamiliar territory lack reliable
information to stay safe and survive
-Alexnadra Buccianti, BBC Media Action
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22. YOUTH NEWS HABITS
2016 statistics
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23. YOUTH NEWS HABITS: QUICK FACTS
➤ 62% of Arab youth claim they get their news from television.
Down from 79% in 2011
➤ More than half (52%) of Arab youth share their stories with
their friends on Facebook. Up 11% since last year
➤ Only 17% of young Arabs aged 18-24 use newspapers as a
source for news; on a par with radio and some way behind
family and friends (30%), social media (32%), online news
channels (45%), and television (63%)
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24. “Whichever way you look at it, this decline - from 62%
to 17% in just five years - represents a phenomenal
loss of newspaper audience
-Damian Radcliffe, 2016 Arab Youth Survey
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25. YOUTH NEWS HABITS: QUICK STATS
On a daily basis, more young Arabs get their news online than
from TV or Print Media.
32%
Read news Online daily
29%
Watch TV News Channels daily
7%
Read Newspapers daily
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26. THANK YOU
by Nader al-Maleh
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