Middle East and Africa Capsule Market Research Report Information, by Product Type (Hard Capsules and Soft Capsules), by Raw Material (Bovine, Porcine, Non-gelatin), by Route of Administration (Oral and Others) and by End User (Pharmaceuticals and Others) - Forecast till 2032

Middle East and Africa Capsule Market Overview:

Capsule Market is expected to grow USD 0.00836 Billion at a CAGR 4.5% during the forcast period 2023 to 2032. Capsules are empty shells used to enclose active drugs for protecting them or to make the medication more palatable. The capsuled dosage forms can also be used as suppositories or for local application by pinching them to release the active drug. Capsules have been viewed as the most efficient method of taking nauseating and bitter tasting medications.

The Middle East and Africa capsule market is growing at a good rate. The market’s driving factors are rising demand for vegetarian and halal-based capsules, growing consumer preference towards capsule-based formulations, growing use of capsules in the pharmaceutical and neutraceuticals. Other factors driving the growth of capsules are ease of use, greater patient conformance and technological advancements such as delayed released and modified release capsules. Development of non-gelatin capsules such as those made from hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), starch based etc. are further driving the market. Growing use of soft gelatin capsules such as suppositories is another factor affecting the market positively. On the basis of segmentation, the development of veterinary drug market is driving the growth of the Middle East and Africa capsule market.

The market’s constrains include high cost of vegetable capsules, low tamper resistance of capsules as compared to tablets, higher cost of formulation as compared to tablets among others. However the critical threat for the capsule industry remains outbreaks of diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) which has resulted in temporary scarcity of healthy raw material thereby pushing raw material’s costs. Societal and religious considerations have also impacted the industry negatively. Another restraint is strict and tightened regulations. For example, many European nations such as France has imposed immediate ban on bovine gelatin until EU safety guidelines were put into practice.

The Middle East and Africa capsule market has responded and current market trends include shift towards vegetarian substitutes such as carrageenan, agar, and starch based capsules.

Growing customer preference for capsule-based formulations and increasing use of capsules in the pharmaceutical and neutraceutical industries are fueling the market. Additionally, technological developments such as delayed released and modified release capsules are contributing to the development of capsules. Plant-based ingredients like pullulan and starch can also be used to create the capsules. Consumption of capsules in the MENA region is on the rise.

Market growth for capsules is being propelled by factors such as rising consumer preference for capsule-based formulations, rising demand for vegetarian and halal-based capsules, and rising use of capsules in the pharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals industries. The growth of the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics sectors; the increasing prevalence of infectious and chronic diseases; increased investment in R&D activities; and technical advancements are all factors that are driving the growth of the capsule market.

The introduction of alternatives to gelatin capsules, such as hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) capsules, starch-based capsules, etc., is also propelling the industry forward. Suppositories, a type of soft gelatin capsule, are becoming increasingly popular. The expansion of the market for veterinary drugs is a key factor in the expansion of the capsule market in the MENA region.

In July 2023, Zeon Lifesciences announced the addition of liquid-filled capsules to its lineup. Improved bioavailability and absorption rates are only two of the many benefits of the capsules' cutting-edge, one-of-a-kind delivery method. Individuals are given more agency in the use of Zeon's products because of the reliability of the dosing information provided. Maximum effectiveness and faster results are achieved since these capsules contain the ideal amounts of active substances.

Study Objectives Middle East and Africa Capsule Market:

• To provide detail analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of various segments and sub-segments of the Middle East and Africa capsule market.


• To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth.


• To analyze the market based on various analyses including price analysis, supply chain analysis, Porters Five Force analysis etc.


• To provide past and estimated  revenue of the market’s segments and sub-segments of Middle East and Africa Capsule market


• To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future growth prospect.


• To provide country level analysis of the market for segments which includes by product type (hard capsules and soft capsules), by raw material (bovine, porcine, non-gelatin) and by route of administration (oral and others) and by end user (pharmaceuticals and others) and other sub segments.


• To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market


• To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments along with research and developments globally.

 Middle East and Africa Capsule Market, by Raw Material, 2015 (%):

 Intended Audience

• Capsule manufacturers


• Capsule suppliers


• Market research and consulting service providers


• Contract manufacturing organizations

Key Players for Middle East and Africa Capsule Market:

Some of the key players in this market are ACG Associated Capsules, Capsugel, Qualicaps, Suheung, Roxlor LLC, Medi-Caps Ltd, Suheung Co. Ltd and others.

Middle East and Africa Capsule Market Segment Insights

Middle East and Africa capsule market has been segmented on the basis of product type which comprises hard capsules and soft capsules. On the basis of raw material; market is segmented into bovine, porcine and non-gelatin. On the basis of route of administration; market is segmented into oral and others. Moreover on the basis of end user; market is segmented into pharmaceuticals and others.

In January 2023, Topiramate Extended-Release Capsules, developed by Zydus Lifesciences and distributed by its wholly owned subsidiary Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc., will become available in the United States for the treatment of epilepsy. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) had already given final approval for the sale of the aforementioned capsules, allowing the pharmaceutical giant to market the medication in USP 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg. Patients aged 6 and above with certain forms of epilepsy may benefit from first monotherapy with the Topiramate Extended-Release capsule.

In July 2023, Syntegon's GKF Capsylon 6005 capsule filling machine, introduced in Europe and the United States, can fill 360,000 nutraceutical capsules per hour, more than doubling the capacity of its previous model. This high-velocity device has 48 segment bores instead of 21 and 4 rows instead of 2. It is said to be able to fill more capsule segments each hour than the GKF Capsylon 3005, which can fill 175,000 capsules per hour, without requiring any additional time for operation.

Middle East and Africa Capsule Market Regional Insights 

UAE is the largest market for capsule in entire Middle East and Africa capsule market closely followed by Egypt. The rest of Africa market is however growing very fast with a huge unmet medical needs. The growing veterinary drugs market is also fuelling the demand for capsules especially in Africa. However greater prevalence of substandard capsules is a threat to the industry. The report of Middle East and Africa Capsule Market by Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with detail analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts and key opinion leaders to gain a deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives a clear picture of current market scenario which includes past and estimated future size of the market in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides detail information about and strategies used by top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of different markets segments and regions.