End-user spending on information security in the Middle East and North Africa is on the rise, with a forecasted total of $3.2 billion in 2025, indicating a 14 percent increase from the previous year. This growth is primarily attributed to the evolving regulatory environment, increased cyberattacks, and the expanding threat landscape due to digitalization and cloud migration. As a result, CISOs in the region are focusing on compliance, addressing cybersecurity concerns at the executive level, and enhancing organizational resilience.
Globally, information security spending is projected to reach $212 billion in 2025, reflecting a 15.1 percent increase from 2024. The heightened threat environment, cloud migration, and talent shortage are key factors driving organizations to prioritize security and increase their spending in this area. Chief information security officers (CISOs) are reevaluating their endpoint protection and detection strategies to bolster operational resilience in light of recent cybersecurity incidents.
The adoption of AI and generative AI (GenAI) is driving investments in security software markets such as application security, data security, privacy, and infrastructure protection. The emergence of GenAI is expected to increase cybersecurity resource requirements by 15 percent through 2025. However, the use of AI tools, alongside large language models, is also enabling attackers to carry out sophisticated social engineering attacks, with Gartner predicting that 17 percent of cyberattacks and data leaks by 2027 will involve generative AI.
As organizations increasingly transition to cloud-based environments, the demand for cloud security solutions is expected to grow. The market share of cloud-native solutions, including cloud access security brokers (CASB) and cloud workload protection platforms (CWPP), is projected to reach $8.7 billion in 2025, up from $6.7 billion in 2024. The global skills shortage in the cybersecurity industry is a key driver for investment in security services, including security consulting, professional services, and managed security services, which are expected to outpace other security segments in terms of growth.
In conclusion, the rising threat landscape and regulatory requirements are fueling an increase in information security spending in the MENA region and globally. Organizations are adapting to the evolving cybersecurity challenges by investing in advanced technologies such as AI and cloud security solutions. As the industry continues to navigate through skill shortages and emerging threats, the focus on enhancing organizational resilience and cybersecurity posture remains critical for businesses to mitigate risks and safeguard their digital assets.
