Call for entries issued for the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards

The Stevie® Awards, organiser of the world’s premier business awards programmes, has issued a call for entries for the 2026 (seventh annual) Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, presented in partnership with the RAK Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards are the region’s only awards programme to recognise innovation in the workplace in all its forms. The awards are open to all organisations within 18 nations in the MENA region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

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All individuals and organisations - public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - may submit any number of nominations to any number of the categories.

There are no entry fees in this awards programme. Organisations may submit as many nominations as they would like, without cost. Instead, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners can choose to pay a “winners fee” for each successful nomination to maintain their Stevie winner status.

Nominations may be submitted online through two entry deadlines. Winning nominations submitted through the first deadline, December 3 2025, will have reduced winners’ fees. January 21, 2026, is the second and final entry deadline.

Winners of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards in the competition will be announced on April 16, 2026, and celebrated during a gala event at the InterContinental Hotel in Istanbul, Türkiye, on May 14, 2026.

The 2026 competition introduces several new and expanded category groups, including AI Innovation Awards recognising the achievements of individuals and organisations in Artificial Intelligence, and Public Sector Innovators, honouring innovation and excellence in government and public service. Other category groups with new award categories include Sustainability, Technology, Customer Service, Marketing, and Human Resources.

“We are proud to launch the seventh annual Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards,” said Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards. “This program remains the leading platform for celebrating business excellence and innovation across the region. This year, we’re introducing new categories that highlight advancements in AI and public sector innovation, reflecting the fast-paced development and modernisation underway in the Middle East and North Africa. We welcome organisations of every size and from every sector—corporate, nonprofit, and government—to share their accomplishments and showcase their success on an international level.”

Nominations citing innovative achievements will be accepted and judged in both Arabic and English, in more than 150 categories across the following category groups:

• AI Innovation

• Apps and Websites

• Achievements

• Annual Reports and Other Publications

• Company/Organisation

• Corporate Communications and Public Relations

• Customer Service

• Human Resources

• Individual Professionals

• Live and Virtual Events

• Management

• Marketing

• New Products and Services

• Public Sector Innovators

• Social Media

• Sustainability

• Technology

• Videos

• Thought Leadership

For the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards programme, a new website and entry system have been introduced to make participation easier and more efficient than ever before. Entrants can now use a single account to access the entry system for all nine Stevie Awards programmes, submit and manage nominations seamlessly, and enter directly from any device. The platform supports over 30 languages with automatic translation for judging and offers multiple convenient payment options, ensuring a smooth and accessible experience for participants across the region.

Winners of the 2025 edition with multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards include Abdulla Almazrouei Advocates & Legal Consultants, Abu Dhabi Customs, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD); ADNOC Logistics & Services, Alef Education, Barns, Saudi Arabia; DAMAC Properties; Deloitte & Touche (M.E.); DHL Express (across multiple MENA locations); Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group; Dubai Culture & Arts Authority; Emirates Health Services; Etihad Aviation Group; First Abu Dhabi Bank; Ministry of Finance, Saudi Arabia; Ooredoo Group, Qatar; Petromin Express, Saudi Arabia; Public Works Authority, Ashghal, Qatar; QNB Türkiye; RAK Police; Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu; Saudi Aramco; Sharjah Economic Development Department; Silal, Abu Dhabi; STC (Saudi Telecom Company); Tata Consultancy Services (TCS); Turkcell; VUMI Global; Yalla Group, UAE; and ZIGMA8, 360º Creative Communications; among others.

The 2026 competition will be judged by more than 150 professionals around the world. To apply, visit: https://mena.stevieawards.com/Judges/you-be-the-judge.