‘Arabic music is not a niche waiting to be discovered.’

Eddy Maroun, co-founder of Anghami, has launched IPNation to invest in music rights and entertainment intellectual property across the Middle East and North Africa. The company aims to develop acquired songs into wider entertainment ventures, as Maroun argues that Arabic music is an established cultural asset with room for greater investment in its back catalogue.

Based in the UAE, IPNation has a target investment size of US$100 million and plans to acquire stakes in 10 to 20 catalogues, with investments of US$2 million to US$10 million each. It says it is seeking catalogues with predictable royalties and cultural significance; its initial backer is Influence Media Partners, though the commitment’s size is undisclosed and no first acquisition has been announced. MENA recorded music revenue grew 15.2% in 2025, with streaming accounting for 97.5% of the total, while PopArabia is an established competitor that says it administers nearly 100,000 Arabic songs.