A flurry of news reports has suggested that Spotify plans to launch across the Middle East and North Africa in November, with a new regional headquarters based in Dubai.
Spotify has not responded to requests for comments on the stories, but eagle-eyed reporters have noticed that Spotify has started to recruit for positions in Dubai, indicating an imminent launch. In February, the company also disclosed public documents, which showed that it had leased a number of regional offices, including one in the UAE.
The streaming platform will go head-to-head with the likes of Anghami, Deezer and Apple Music, who already operate in the markets. According to local media reports, Spotify is currently seeking advertisers for its roll-out in the regions.
A Spotify spokesperson told Music Business Worldwide: “Spotify’s ultimate goal is to be available in every country, but we don’t currently have any news to share on a launch in the Middle East.” Currently, Spotify operates across 65 markets, although the platform continues to be unavailable in a number of key territories, including India, Russia, and most of Africa. By 2023, Morgan Stanley predicts Spotify will have 53 million paid subscribers in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, compared with just 11 million this year.
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