Influencers

YouTube and Creators HQ Launch MENA Shopping Incubator to Train 1,000 Creators

YouTube and Dubai's Creators HQ announced a two-year incubator to train more than 1,000 Middle East and North Africa creators to earn commissions through YouTube Shopping, building on the affiliate program launched in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in October.

iShook Opinion

Nov 11, 2026 - 12:12

Updated: 53 minutes ago

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YouTube and Creators HQ Launch MENA Shopping Incubator to Train 1,000 Creators

AI-generated editorial illustration. Dubai skyline and a mobile creator setup.

YouTube and Creators HQ, a Dubai-based hub for content creators, have announced a regional incubator that aims to train more than 1,000 creators across the Middle East and North Africa to earn money through YouTube Shopping, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), which reported the announcement from Dubai on November 10.

Over the next two years, YouTube will run a series of masterclasses through its YouTube Academy program to teach creators best practices and tools for using YouTube Shopping as what WAM described as "a primary monetisation lever." Creators HQ and YouTube described the effort as the first incubator of its kind in the region.

Creators HQ listed a YouTube Shopping press conference and masterclass on its website for November 10 at its space in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai. The organization said the session offered regional creators an expert masterclass on YouTube Shopping and a first hands-on look at the product.

How the Affiliate Program Works

The incubator builds on the YouTube Shopping affiliate program, which YouTube launched in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt on October 26, according to a Google blog post by Javid Aslanov, head of YouTube in the Middle East and North Africa. Amazon is the program's first affiliate partner, and YouTube has said more merchants will join.

Under the program, eligible creators can tag products in long-form videos, Shorts and livestreams and earn commissions when viewers make purchases. Google's announcement said creators in the YouTube Partner Program with as few as 500 subscribers can take part, a threshold Arab News described as lower than many other monetization tools.

YouTube says Google AI can automatically identify products that appear in videos and suggest tags, reducing manual work for creators. Viewers watching on televisions can scan an on-screen QR code with a phone to complete a purchase. According to Google and Arab News, creators can also earn commissions on purchases by viewers in other markets where YouTube Shopping is available, including the United States and Japan.

Arabian Business reported that YouTube has not disclosed specific commission rates, which may vary by product and affiliate arrangement. The outlet also reported that YouTube has not announced a timeline or named additional retail partners. YouTube described the three-country rollout as the first phase of YouTube Shopping's expansion in the region.

What the Partners Said

"We are excited to expand our ongoing collaboration with Creators HQ, as part of YouTube Academy, to bring the first-of-its-kind masterclass for regional creators to learn and make the most of the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program," Aslanov said in the announcement carried by WAM. "This programme gives creators another, practical way to build their businesses, while offering brands a way to connect with highly engaged audiences."

Aslanov added that the masterclass was "an extension of our joint efforts with CreatorsHQ to empower the next generation of storytellers from across the region," with the goal of helping more creators "turn their passion into a thriving, long-term career on YouTube."

Alia Al Hammadi, vice chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and deputy chief executive of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, said the collaboration "reflects Creators HQ's commitment to building strategic relations with leading global platforms," and would give regional creators "new tools and solutions to scale their business." WAM reported that she called the masterclass a key step in helping creators turn audience engagement into economic opportunities.

Creators HQ and the 1 Billion Followers Summit

Creators HQ is part of Visioneers, which WAM described as the UAE's largest content management and development platform. Fast Company Middle East reported that Creators HQ said in September 2026 it had 5,000 registered members from 130 countries, with a combined following of more than five billion.

The new initiative will also include a YouTube Shopping experience at the fifth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, which the UAE Government Media Office will hold from January 8 to 10, 2027, at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Museum of the Future. The summit's theme is "Content for Good," according to WAM, Fast Company Middle East and Entrepreneur Middle East.

YouTube Academy has trained more than 5,000 creators since it launched in 2025, according to the announcement and Entrepreneur Middle East.

The Regional Shopping Audience

The companies cited several figures on video shopping. YouTube said viewers worldwide watch more than 40 billion hours of shopping-related content on the platform each year. A Kantar survey cited by YouTube found that 94% of surveyed viewers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia agreed that YouTube has the best shopping-related content, and 86% said it has the most trusted creators for product recommendations.

Fast Company Middle East reported that the UAE ranks seventh in the world for weekly video viewing, according to the Digital 2026 Global Outlook report, with residents watching an average of 15 hours and eight minutes of content across all video lengths.

In its October launch post, Google said 84% of surveyed viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE agreed that YouTube helps them make more confident shopping decisions, according to the same Kantar research.