Mada Media has signed contracts worth approximately AED1.5 billion in the first half of 2026, covering 683 out-of-home advertising assets across Dubai. The figure marks a significant volume of activity for the emirate's advertising ecosystem and signals steady demand from both local and regional advertisers for space on the city's streets, metro stations and skyline.
Wide participation across the industry
Eighty local and regional advertising companies took part in tenders launched by Mada Media during the period. The tendered assets included 27 digital Unipoles, 20 Bridge Banners (six digital and 14 static), and four static Hoardings, alongside advertising displays fitted to lighting poles and flags across the city.
His Excellency Matar Al Tayer, Chairman of Mada Media, said the scale of participation reflected confidence in the sector. "The participation of 80 local and regional advertising companies in the tenders launched by the company is an indication of the expanding investor base and strong demand for the investment opportunities offered by the sector. It also confirms the success of the approach adopted by Mada Media in managing and developing the OOH advertising ecosystem based on principles that balance enhancing the economic viability of assets, providing high-quality opportunities for the private sector, and elevating the quality of Dubai's urban landscape."
A first for emerging national companies
For the first time, Mada Media launched an exclusive tender for emerging national advertising companies that are members of Dubai SME, part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development. Eighteen such companies took part, giving smaller Emirati-owned firms direct access to advertising assets that would typically be contested by larger regional players.
This move opens a route into the out-of-home advertising market for younger and smaller businesses, without them having to compete head-to-head with established regional advertisers for the same tenders.
Naming rights on the Metro Red Line
Among the deals signed in H1 2026 were two naming rights agreements for stations on the Dubai Metro Red Line, one with a local brand and one with a global brand. Naming rights on the Metro network put a brand in front of the large numbers of commuters who pass through the system daily, making these stations some of the most visible advertising placements in the city.
Taken together, the volume of contracts, the breadth of participating companies and the inclusion of first-time SME tenders point to an out-of-home advertising sector that continues to draw sustained investment in Dubai. The activity sits within the wider frame of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which set out the emirate's direction for economic growth and urban development.