Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Riyadh ranks 23rd globally in emerging startup ecosystems, thanks to strong government support, venture capital growth, and thriving tech sectors like AI and FinTech, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions and regional innovation leadership.
center3 won the Datacloud award for best data centre in MEA, underscoring its leadership in expanding hyperscale, AI-ready infrastructure across Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The company focuses on sustainability, scalability, and supporting Vision 2030’s digital ambitions.
Saudi Arabia announced its bid to retain its seat on the ITU Council, reinforcing its leadership in accelerating global connectivity and digital inclusion. The Kingdom emphasizes innovation, inclusive AI, digital workforce growth, and regulatory leadership, while hosting the 2025 Global Symposium for Regulators in Riyadh.
Al Moammar Information Systems divested 100% of its stake in Anthropic for $9.33 million, earning $4.26 million profit, part of its global AI investment strategy. The original $5 million investment was made during Anthropic’s Series D round last year.
Pakistan will deactivate nearly 5 million mobile SIMs tied to expired or invalid CNICs in a phased plan starting June 2025, aiming to curb network misuse and strengthen national security. Citizens are urged to renew their CNICs to avoid service disruption.
Zong won the Best Digital Campaign (TikTok) award at the Pakistan Digital Awards 2025, recognized for its impactful promotion of the My Zong App using TikTok and Google UAC. The campaign’s success was also highlighted globally in a TikTok case study.
Pakistan and Egypt are deepening digital cooperation, focusing on cybersecurity, 5G, fintech, and maritime cables. Pakistan’s “Digital Pakistan” agenda aligns with Egypt’s goals, and both countries plan joint initiatives, including youth engagement and academic programs, leveraging strategic geographic positions and telecom assets.
Oman’s telecom sector grew with a 5.8% rise in postpaid subscriptions and a 121% surge in IoT connections by April 2025. Mobile subscriptions increased 12.3%, broadband and fiber optic usage expanded, while legacy services like ADSL and satellite declined significantly.
Naver, in partnership with NVIDIA, Nexus Core Systems, and Lloyd Capital, will build a renewable-powered 500 MW AI data center in Morocco. The facility will deliver sovereign AI services across EMEA, starting with a 40 MW supercomputing phase using NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, supported by a renewable energy deal with TAQA.
Moroccan students preparing for international exams are increasingly using Studocu’s AI-powered platform, which offers interactive study aids like homework help, instant explanations via camera, personalized quizzes, and direct AI Q&A. This trend highlights growing digital adoption in Morocco’s education sector.