From megaprojects to measurable performance, 2026 will see a Middle East infrastructure reset

Entering 2026, the Middle East will be moving into a more demanding phase of development. The past decade was defined by the scale of ambition, the next will be defined by precision, performance, and long-term value. Across the Middle East region, infrastructure and city building are no longer treated as singular headlines, they are being assessed as portfolios that must deliver mobility, productivity, resilience, and carbon reduction in parallel. That shift will be the defining story of 2026. 

In line with this transition, leading delivery organisations are already reshaping their operating models. Egis, for example, exceeded its 2026 financial targets two years early, achieving €2.164 billion in turnover in 2024, up 14 percent year-on-year, with a record €4.0 billion order book and significant advances in digital transformation and climate-aligned engineering. These results underscore a regional and global pivot from scale to measurable, high‑performance outcomes.  

Market momentum remains strong. Across the Middle East, infrastructure construction is forecast to grow from roughly USD 204.0 billion in 2025 to about USD 266.7 billion by 2030, equivalent to a 5.51 percent compound annual growth rate. In South Asia, the construction market is also expanding rapidly, valued at approximately USD 1.03 trillion in 2024 and projected to grow at a CAGR of around 5.8 percent through 2028. This expansion is not simply a continuation of earlier cycles, it reflects structural commitments to diversification, tourism, logistics, advanced industry, and the strategic importance of reliable infrastructure to regional competitiveness. A similar acceleration is underway in South Asia, led primarily by India, where the infrastructure sector is estimated at about USD 190.7 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach about USD 280.6 billion by 2030, representing an approximately 8 percent compound annual growth rate.  

Taken together, these trajectories reinforce a shared regional reality for 2026, infrastructure is being used not only to absorb growth, but to reshape economic models toward higher value services, deeper trade connectivity, and more resilient, climate ready urban systems. Three arenas will set the tone in 2026, mobility networks, sustainable urban development, and the energy and industry transition.