Eligibility Timeframe

Eligibility for the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards extends from July 1, 2023. Nominations should cite achievements during this eligibility window.

Nominations that won in the 2025 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards may be resubmitted for consideration in the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards If they have been updated with recent achievements, they may be submitted to the same categories in which they won. If they have not been updated, they must be submitted to categories different from those in which they won.

New Stevie Awards Platform

The Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards website was given a refresh, along with the entry system. All entrants must create a new login at Mena.StevieAwards.com, even if they have submitted Stevie Awards entries in the past. Now, you only need one login to submit nominations in any of the nine Stevie Awards programs.

Categories

There are several new category groups and many new categories across existing groups in the 2026 program.

There are two new major category groups:
- AI Innovation Awards categories – featuring 7 categories that recognize individuals, organizations, and initiatives leading advancements in AI.
- Public Sector Innovators categories - featuring 4 categories that recognize innovation by government ministries, public agencies, and municipalities in areas such as administration, citizen services, workforce development, and cross-sector collaboration.

The Apps categories have been refreshed with new and revised options, including Award for Innovation in Health and Wellness Apps

The Events categories feature several new options, including Academic Institution Events, Attendee Experience & Engagement, Audience Engagement Technology, Celebrating Culture through Events and Diplomatic or International Affairs Events

The Publications categories introduce several new areas, including Digital/Interactive Reports, Education Publications and Research or Technical Publications

The Websites categories introduce a Health or Wellness Website

The Achievement categories have been updated with new and revised options, including Collaboration or Partnership and Public Engagement or Community Impact

The Corporate Communications & Public Relations Awards categories introduce a Crisis Communications category

The Customer Service Awards categories have been refreshed and adding Crisis Response in Customer Service and Customer Retention Strategy

The Human Resources Awards categories introduce several new areas, Employee Engagement, Workplace Practices and Workforce Upskilling and Reskilling

The Individual Professional Awards categories added Chief Information (CIO) of the year and DEI Leader of the Year

The Management Awards categories introduce several new areas, including Management in Crisis Leadership, Management in Diversity Management, Management Practices, Sustainable Management Initiatives and Young Leader of the Year – Under 40

The Marketing Awards categories added Multicultural Marketing and Sustainability Marketing

The Social Media Awards categories have been revamped, introducing Social Media Community Building, Use of Influencer Collaboration, LinkedIn Page, Pinterest Board, Snapchat Channel and Social Media Campaign

The Sustainability categories introduced Circular Economy Practices, Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Sustainability-Focused Media, Sustainability Partnerships and Urban Sustainability and Smart City Transformation

The Thought Leadership categories added Young Thought Leader of the Year


Winner Fees

Entry fees for the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards have been raised by $10 from 2025.