Large-scale infrastructure investments in the MENA region have driven steel demand growth. Steel demand in the Middle East increased by 4.2% in 2024 to 56.9 million tons, with a projected 4.5% growth in 2025. Steel consumption in North African countries grew by 3.5% year-on-year in 2024 to 18.1 million tons, expected to rise by 3.8% in 2025. The region’s primary steelmaking process is the direct reduced iron-electric arc furnace (DRI-EAF) route, mainly due to the lack of iron and steel production raw materials (except for Iran’s iron ore resources) and abundant natural gas reserves.