IT market in Middle East and North Africa to reach $3.17 bln in 2008

IDC estimates that Middle East and North Africa (MENA) IT market is set to grow from $6.9 bln in 2003 to around $13.4 bln by 2008 with all countries' expenditure on IT growing significantly but with a particularly marked increase in both Saudi Arabia and the Maghreb. The MENA region, which IDC defines as the Arab Middle East and North Africa, is currently the third fastest growing IT market in the world after India and China. PC shipments to Gulf States are due to cross one mln units by the end of 2004 while the total IT services market in MENA is projected to cross $3.17 bln by the end of 2008. For the packaged software market, IDC estimates it to surpass $1.86 bln by the same date. Regarding spending on particular sectors for CY2004, IDC breaks it down as follows - systems: 38%; package software: 14.2%; IT services: 23.7%; networking equipment: 8%; peripherals: 14.1% and external storage: 2%.