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PRESSR: MENA region witnesses increased M&A activity in the first 9 months of 2025 with 649 deals totaling $69.1bln
PRESSR: MENA region witnesses increased M&A activity in the first 9 months of 2025 with 649 deals totaling $69.1bln
About this update from Borouge Plc
The first nine months of 2025 recorded the highest cross-border activity compared to the same period in the past five yearsThe UAE remained the preferred destination for investorsThe country witnessed the region’s largest deal with the announced acquisition of a 64% stake in Borouge by Borealis and OMV for US$16.5bRiyadh, Saudi Arabia – According to the EY MENA M&A Insights 9M 2025 report, the MENA region recorded a 23% rise in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the first nine months of this year with 649 deals with a total value of US$69.1b. The GCC region accounted for the majority of the deals at 500, valued at US$65.9b.The positive deal flow was driven by sustained investor interest and improving economic environment across MENA. Cross-border transactions remained the dominant growth engine for the region, contributing 54% of the volume and 76% of the value. In fact, the first nine months of 2025 recorded the highest cross-border activity compared to the same period in the past five years.Brad Watson, EY MENA Strategy and Transactions Leader, says:“The MENA M&A market continues to demonstrate resilience this year. The rise in cross-border deal activity showcases the growing appetite of companies for international expansion and portfolio diversification. Meanwhile, the shift toward mid-size transactions reflects a strategic focus on high-growth, innovation-driven sectors that support long-term economic development in line with the region’s economic diversification goals.”The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported the region’s largest M&A of the year to date with the announced acquisition of a 64% stake in Borouge by the Austrian giant OMV and its subsidiary Borealis for US$16.5b. This was followed by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (ADNOC’s) acquisition of a 46.94% stake in the Canadian company NOVA Chemicals for US$6.3b, one of the largest deals in the global petrochemical space. The third-largest deal was the acquisition of the Peruvian fuel distributor Primax S.A by Saudi Aramco for US$3.5b.Outbound deals contributed the largest share of the M&A transaction value in the first nine months of 2025, with 189 deals amounting to US$28.5b. Canada attracted the highest outbound deal value from MENA investors at US$7.1b, while the United Kingdom (UK) was the preferred target country in terms of deal volume.During the first nine months of 2025, the r...