In the Middle East and Africa, many decisions are not made at the end of a tender but through relationships built over several years. A company that applies its usual commercial methods is therefore likely to fail, not because it lacks competitiveness, but because it misreads how decisions are made.
In these regions, what separates a good project from a signed contract is rarely commercial. It is usually institutional. A bid can be technically flawless, well priced and strategically sound, and still go nowhere, because the people who decide were not involved in the discussions from the start.
This is what newcomers most often underestimate. In many countries of the region, the decision is not taken in a procurement department. It is taken over a longer period, within a network of relationships that has formed over the years and that cannot be entered only at the moment it is needed.
Successful companies treat knowledge of the ground as capital: they build it patiently and use it at the right moment. They establish themselves before they have a contract to win, take the time to understand the local and cultural context, and when the opportunity arises, they are already recognised as credible counterparts.
Trust is built over time. It cannot be improvised at the moment it is needed.
This is where support makes all the difference. A trusted partner does not replace the relationship the client will have to build itself. It brings the cultural and institutional knowledge that allows the client to build it faster.
Being patient does not mean waiting. It means proceeding in the right order: meeting the right institutions at the right time, establishing credibility before expecting results, and not trying to close a deal until the relationship is strong enough to support it.
Done well, this approach turns political complexity into an advantage rather than a risk. The difficulties that discourage competitors protect those who have taken the time to do this groundwork.
Efficient Network — MEA Strategy & Development Consulting.