TikTok on Thursday hosted the TikTok Awards MENA 2025 at The Gate, DIFC, recognising 33 creators across 11 categories for their impact on digital culture in the region. The awards drew more than 5.7 million public votes from across the Middle East and North Africa.
Held in partnership for the first time with the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the ceremony highlighted creators whose content shaped trends, built communities and influenced conversations on the platform over the past year.
The event was hosted by popular TikTok creators Yara Bou Monsef and Sherif Fayed, while performances during the evening featured Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram, singer-songwriter WiztheMC, and Egyptian actress and singer Yara Moustafa.
Among the key winners, Khaled Al Olyan was named Creator of the Year, while Hana and Omar received the Changemaker of the Year award for their social impact-driven content. Amr El Hady won the Visionary Content Award. Mona Khalid was recognised as Entertainment Creator of the Year, and Banen Naem won Artist of the Year.
The awards also featured brand partnerships, with L’Oréal Paris Middle East serving as the main sponsor and presenting the Beauty Creator of the Year award. Puck Arabia sponsored the Food Creator of the Year category, while Bath & Body Works Arabia presented the Lifestyle Creator of the Year award.
Viewers across the region followed the event through a live stream on @TikTokMENA, which included red carpet interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage hosted by Talia Fawaz.
Commenting on the event, Kinda Ibrahim, General Manager of Operations for TikTok Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia, said the awards reflect the strong connection between creators and their audiences, noting that the high number of public votes underscored the platform’s growing cultural influence in the region.
