MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA SOFTWARE AND SECURE CODE ESCROW SERVICE MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2025-2032)

Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Size and Forecast – 2025-2032

The Middle East & Africa software and secure code escrow service market is estimated to be valued at USD 2.27 Bn in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 5.91 Bn by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.7% from 2025 to 2032.

Key Takeaways of the Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market

• The SaaS escrow segment leads the market holding an estimated share of 36.6% in 2025.
• The single beneficiary segment is projected to dominate with 58.4% share in 2025.
• The escrow for software customer segment leads the market holding an estimated share of 68.1% in 2025.

Market Overview

The market shows a shift towards improved security protocols and compliance needs in the Middle East and Africa, adding to the adoption of secure code escrow services. Organizations are seeing the importance of protecting their software assets because of growing cyber threats and strict regulatory landscapes. Furthermore, the rise in cloud computing and SaaS deployments is propelling the need for reliable escrow arrangements, ensuring uninterrupted software access. This trend will sustain the market momentum, with investments in innovative security technologies and growing awareness of risk mitigation strategies.

Current Events and their Impact

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Segmental Insights 

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Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Insights, By Type – SaaS Escrow Dominates Because of the Increasing Adoption of Cloud-Based Solutions

The SaaS escrow is expected to hold the largest share of 36.6% share in the Middle East & Africa software and secure code escrow service market in 2025 because of the surging adoption of cloud-based software across diverse industries. As enterprises in this region push their digital transformation initiatives, dependence on Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms has grown a lot. With SaaS platforms becoming the cornerstone for business operations, organizations prioritize securing their critical software assets through escrow services to remove risks of vendor insolvency, data breaches, or service discontinuation.

Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank (NCB) has added SaaS escrow agreements as part of its fintech risk management strategy together with Escrow London and Microsoft Azure’s compliance division.

Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Insights, By Agreement – Single Beneficiary Agreements Prevail Because of Focused Risk Mitigation Strategies

The single beneficiary segment is projected to hold the largest share of 58.4% share in 2025. Behind this trend is the huge market preference for contractual simplicity and targeted risk management seen in software users. Single beneficiary agreements include one primary party that benefits from the escrow arrangement. Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is in a single-beneficiary software escrow contract with NCC Group for critical patient management and telemedicine platforms to ensure uninterrupted service delivery in the event of vendor insolvency.

Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Insights, By End User – Escrow for Software Customers Gain Traction Because of Heightened Dependence on Vendor Software Continuity

The escrow for software customer segment is expected to capture 68.1% of the market share in 2025. This dominance is because of the increasing reliance of end users on third-party software vendors and the need to mitigate risks of software unavailability or vendor failures.

Software customers like large enterprises and government entities know that their business processes are often tightly intertwined with software applications developed and maintained externally. This dependency brings about concerns over long-term access to the software source code, especially if the vendor faces insolvency. Secure code escrow services give an assurance mechanism that guarantees customers access to the source code under agreed conditions.

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), which uses secure code escrow services for several mission-critical fintech applications licensed from European developers, ensuring continuity even if the vendors cease operations.

Pricing Analysis of the Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market

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Market Players, Key Development, and Competitive Intelligence 

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Key Developments

• In September 2025, Finova, the U.K.’s largest cloud-based mortgage and savings software provider, announced a strategic partnership with Escode, a global leader in software resilience and part of NCC Group, to extend the reach of Escrow as a Service (EaaS) to financial services clients.
• In April 2025, Raxio Group, a leading Sub-Saharan African data center platform, signed an agreement for USD 100 million in financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The funding will accelerate Raxio’s expansion of facilities powering key technologies like AI, cloud computing, and digital financial services – critical enablers of Africa’s economic growth and digital inclusion.
• In August 2024, Trustin Limited, U.A.E. Built First Digital Escrow Platform in the region, secured Financial Service Permission (FSP) from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). This license is a big milestone, solidifying its commitment to regulatory compliance and innovation in Escrow Services space.
• In June 2021, Global cyber security and software resilience business, NCC Group, completed its acquisition of Iron Mountain’s Intellectual Property Management (IPM) business in a USD 208.9 million (£156m) deal providing immediate additional scale to the Group’s Software Resilience business in North America.

Top Strategies Followed by the Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Players

• Established market leaders invest a lot in research and development (R&D) to add to innovation and develop high-performance, secure software solutions that address the stringent requirements of clients across various industries.
  • Through its Escode platform, NCC Group, heavily a lot in R&D for automated build verification, cloud environment replication, and API-driven escrow services.

• Mid-level players in the Middle East & Africa software and secure code escrow market tend to emphasize cost-effective solutions that strike a balance between affordability and quality.
  • Escrow London offers low-cost, modular escrow packages (starting around USD 3,000 per year) tailored for SaaS startups and mid-tier firms.

• Small-scale players operating in this space make their niches by focusing on specialized features or innovative product offerings.
  • TrustIn is a licensed digital escrow provider under Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), focusing specifically on regulated digital escrow for fintech industry, e-commerce, and tokenized assets.

Market Report Scope 

Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Report Coverage

Market Dynamics 

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Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Driver - Rapid SaaS Adoption & Cloud Migration

The accelerating adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models across industries in the Middle East and Africa is significantly driving the demand for software and secure code escrow services. As organizations increasingly migrate critical business applications and data to cloud-based platforms, concerns around data security, intellectual property protection, and business continuity intensify. SaaS providers, while offering flexibility and scalability, often raise apprehensions regarding access to source code and the long-term availability of software in scenarios such as vendor insolvency or contract termination.

Additionally, cloud migration entails complex integration and dependency challenges, which further emphasize the necessity for secure code escrow as a strategic safeguard to ensure uninterrupted service delivery and compliance with regulatory frameworks prevalent in the region.

Middle East & Africa Software and Secure Code Escrow Service Market Opportunity – Escrow-as-a-Service (EaaS) & Automated Verification

As the region witnesses rapid digital transformation across sectors such as finance, telecommunications, and government, the reliance on outsourced and proprietary software solutions has surged. This escalation intensifies the demand for robust risk mitigation strategies to protect businesses from vendor lock-in, insolvency, or failure to maintain critical software. EaaS offers a scalable, cloud-based escrow solution that simplifies deployment and management for enterprises, enabling accessible and cost-effective secure code escrow services.

Furthermore, the integration of automated verification technologies enhances trust and transparency by enabling continuous, real-time validation of source code integrity and completeness. This reduces manual intervention, minimizes human error, and accelerates verification turnaround times—critical factors in dynamic, fast-growing markets of the MEA region. The ability of EaaS providers to offer multi-tenant platforms tailored to local regulatory requirements and language preferences also aligns with regional compliance demands.

Analyst Opinion (Expert Opinion)

• Demand in countries such as the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, and Qatar is being propelled by regulatory mandates, digital transformation initiatives, and strong enterprise IT spending. Financial institutions and government agencies in these markets increasingly require SaaS escrow and verification services as part of risk management and operational continuity frameworks. The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) compliance environments are fostering early adoption among fintechs and critical infrastructure players.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, the rise of data centers, cloud platforms, and fintech ecosystems in countries like South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria is driving gradual but consistent demand for escrow solutions. While awareness remains lower compared to the Gulf, local players such as EscrowSure (South Africa) and global entrants offering affordable SaaS escrow plans are gaining traction as African firms prioritize software resilience and IP protection.
• Countries like Egypt and Morocco are witnessing rapid public-sector digitalization and foreign investment in ICT infrastructure. This is generating new opportunities for code escrow and verification services to ensure long-term continuity of government and enterprise software systems, particularly in public utilities, e-government platforms, and telecom sectors. Demand here is nascent but fast-evolving, presenting a high-growth frontier for regional expansion over the next 3–5 years.

Market Segmentation

• Type Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
  • SaaS Escrow
  • Technology Escrow
  • Domain Name Escrow
  • Others
• Agreement Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
  • Single Beneficiary
  • Multiple Beneficiary
• End User Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2020 - 2032)
  • Escrow for Software Customer
  • Escrow for Software Supplier/Developer
• Key Players Insights
  • Iron Mountain
  • Praxis Technology Escrow
  • Tuv Sud
  • Escrow Europe (Pty) Ltd
  • LexixNexis
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Escrow London
  • NCC Group

Sources

Primary Research Interviews

Stakeholders

• IT Service Providers and Software Developers
• Cloud Infrastructure and SaaS Providers)
• Legal and Compliance Advisors specializing in software IP protection
• Cybersecurity and Risk Management Consultants
• Government IT Regulators and Procurement Officers
• Escrow Service Providers and Verification Specialists
• Fintech and Banking IT Teams using escrow-backed software continuity solutions

Databases

• African ICT Indicators Database (African Union Digital Observatory)
• Gulf Digital Economy Statistical Yearbook (GCC Secretariat)
• World Bank – Digital Infrastructure Index
• African Cybersecurity Insights Portal
• MENA Cloud Adoption Database
• International ICT Development Data Hub

Magazines

• TechAfrica Today
• Middle East IT & Security Review
• Cloud Business Africa
• Digital Transformation Middle East
• IT Governance Review (MEA Edition)
• Software Innovation Weekly

Journals

• Journal of Information Security and Digital Governance
• African Journal of Information Systems
• Middle East Cybersecurity Review
• International Journal of Cloud Computing and Software Assurance
• ICT Policy and Governance Journal (MEA)
• Journal of Fintech Security and Compliance

Newspapers

• The National (UAE)
• Business Daily Africa
• Gulf News Technology Section
• The Economic Times (Middle East Edition)
• TechCentral South Africa
• Arab News Business Desk

Associations

• Middle East Cybersecurity Alliance (MECA)
• Africa Software Alliance (ASA)
• Gulf Information Security Association (GISA)
• African Cloud Computing Federation (ACCF)
• International Software Escrow Professionals Association (ISEPA)
• ICT Regulatory Forum – MENA Chapter

Public Domain Sources

• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA)
• African Union Digital Transformation Strategy Reports
• World Bank – ICT Indicators
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
• World Economic Forum – Global Cybersecurity Outlook
• ResearchGate and Academia.edu (for peer-reviewed regional ICT papers)

Proprietary Elements

• CMI Data Analytics Tool
• Proprietary CMI Existing Repository of Information for the Last 8 Years