By: Salma Sidki: Head of eCommerce, New Channels and Insights, Bayer Middle East

Over the past few years, my work in the MENA e-commerce ecosystem has been shaped by one central theme: helping brands grow sustainably in a market that is expanding faster than many strategies can keep up with. The region’s digital commerce boom has created enormous opportunity, but 2025 made one thing very clear: Growth without focus is a liability.

One of the most defining lessons from 2025 is the importance of strategic clarity in an increasingly crowded e-commerce landscape. As new platforms, marketplaces, tools, and service providers continue to enter the market, many brands feel pressure to “be everywhere.” In practice, this often leads to fragmented budgets, diluted execution, and inconsistent shopper experiences. When you attempt to work with every channel, retailer, and platform, you often lose sight of the fundamentals — availability, distribution, pricing consistency, and operational excellence — in the process.

Instead of chasing every new opportunity, double down on fewer, more relevant channels for your shoppers and invest in doing those exceptionally well. In a market as dynamic as MENA, focus has become a competitive advantage.

Looking ahead to 2026, my biggest prediction is the accelerated rise of social commerce across the region. Consumers have long been living online, but what’s changing is how aggressively social platforms are optimizing to keep users within their ecosystems. Social media is no longer just a discovery channel; it’s rapidly becoming a fully integrated commerce environment.

As shopping journeys become more seamless — from content to checkout — the friction of leaving a social platform to complete a purchase will increasingly feel unnecessary. When product discovery is driven by creators, influencers, and trusted voices, and transactions are embedded directly into the experience, consumer behavior naturally follows. In MENA, where mobile usage is high and social engagement is deeply embedded in daily life, this shift is especially powerful.

In 2026, I expect social commerce to move from experimentation to a core pillar of many brands’ e-commerce strategies, potentially reshaping more traditional online retail pathways. The brands that win will be those that adapt early, without losing sight of the operational fundamentals that make growth sustainable.