Accurate methane emission measurement is needed for meeting Paris Agreement goals, yet methane emission datasets diverge substantially. Activity-based datasets rely heavily on assumed emission factors and often produce inconsistent results, while satellite-based estimates remain underutilized. This study develops a novel, transparent, and reproducible satellite-based framework to estimate national-level methane emissions across nine Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We focus on two key sectors: 1) oil and gas and 2) urban waste. Our approach combines two complementary satellite methods: a wind-rotated model for zone-level quantification and a basin-inversion model for larger regions with densely clustered assets. Where direct satellite observation is not possible (e.g., offshore facilities or mountainous urban areas), we apply extrapolations to generate complete national-level estimates. Our results show that the methane emissions reported by MENA governments to the UNFCCC are generally lower than our satellite-based estimates. In contrast, global datasets such as the IEA and EDGAR generally overestimate methane emissions, particularly in the oil and gas sector. We also find that urban waste is typically a larger methane source than oil and gas across the region. Saudi Arabia and the UAE emerge as top performers, exhibiting the lowest methane intensities, while other producers show substantial abatement potential. Our findings highlight the value of satellite data for strengthening national and corporate MRV systems and improving emission factors within activity-based methodologies. As satellite capabilities advance, integrating satellite, ground-based, and activity data will enable more accurate, timely, and transparent methane emissions tracking.
