Another record year for outdoor ad spending: Egyptian businesses spent EGP 6.3 bn on out-of-home (OOH) advertising in 2024, a 53% jump from EGP 4.2 bn in 2023, according to a statement (pdf) from outdoor ad aggregator AdMazad.

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The number of OOH advertisers rose 23% y-o-y to 1.7k, while the number of billboards increased 26.6% y-o-y to 40.9k. Real estate advertisers were the top spenders for the third consecutive year, accounting for 60% of OOH ads in 2024. Digital OOH inventory doubled, enabling more dynamic campaigns.

FMCGs held onto the runner-up spot: Advertisers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) — affordable, essential products that are in high-demand (think household essentials) — came in second for the second year in a row, with a 9% market share. It was followed by the hospitality and financial services sectors (4% each), and the telecom sector (3%).

The biggest spenders: Local real estate giant Talaat Moustafa Group made up the lion’s share of the real estate sector’s spending, Edita and L’Oreal were the biggest spenders in the FMCG sector, and Telecom Egypt spent the most on OOH ads among the country’s telecom players.

Advertisers were getting more value for their money, AdMazad’s data suggests. Total impressions on outdoor billboards — a metric used to refer to the number of times an advertisement is viewed — were up 8.8% y-o-y in 2024, reaching 154.2 bn.

The metric has become of vital importance: The fast growth of OOH advertising in the country led to “increased visual congestion, making it harder for brands to stand out on the streets,” said Mountain View Marketing Director Rania El Kest, adding that “access to reliable data and insights is crucial for navigating this evolving landscape.” AdMazad Founding Partner and Managing Director Assem Memon said that “by providing accurate and actionable data, we are empowering the industry to evolve and reach its full potential.”

The methodology: The figures were based on audits of some 50.3k billboards across Greater Cairo, Alexandria, and other key cities.

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