MENA governments now spend twice as much on pensions as 20 years ago

Governments in the Middle East and North Africa now spend twice as much of their national income on pensions as they did 20 years ago. This growing cost means many countries face a serious financial burden.

Pension systems in the MENA region are quietly becoming a major fiscal drain. Spending has doubled from 2% to 4% of GDP since the early 2000s, forcing governments to choose between cutting other public services or reforming pension benefits. This means future generations will either pay more or receive less, or both.