Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Thousands of Pakistani women are leveraging foodpanda’s home chef platform to turn kitchens into businesses, marking a major step for women’s financial inclusion. While commissions remain high, success stories like Lo-Kal Bites and Kausey Extreme show how digital tools are reshaping entrepreneurship and empowering women in Pakistan’s economy.
Jazz has rejected allegations of irregularities flagged in the AGP audit, reaffirming that all tariffs and services are PTA-approved. The Senate Standing Committee will review the audit on August 25, as scrutiny of the telecom sector’s transparency and compliance practices intensifies.
Heavy rains in Sindh disabled over 2,500 telecom towers, cutting mobile and internet access for thousands of users. PTA restored 1,800 towers within 24 hours, with most of Karachi’s services back online. The incident underscores the risks posed to telecom infrastructure by extreme weather.
Omantel is rebranding to become Oman’s national technology powerhouse, expanding beyond telecom into AI, cloud, IoT, and smart city solutions. Backed by 5G, fibre, and subsea cables, it aims to position Oman as a regional digital hub, offering major opportunities for investors and businesses aligned with Vision 2040.
Fintech Farm has launched Tezbank in Uzbekistan with Hamkorbank, offering a fully digital, branchless neobank experience. The app provides free cards, credit up to 50,000 soms, cashback up to 10%, and interactive features. The Ukrainian startup now runs neobanks in five countries, with further expansion ahead.
Whish Money has partnered with Mastercard to enable fast, secure remittances to and from Lebanon. Users can now send money to 50+ countries through the Whish Money app, benefiting from Mastercard Move’s global reach. The initiative strengthens financial inclusion in Lebanon, where remittances remain a critical lifeline.
Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission has issued its first commercial drone operator license to Elements TV Production. The move paves the way for wider drone adoption in media, tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure, boosting innovation, investment, and employment opportunities in Jordan’s digital economy.
Zain Cash signed an agreement with the Jordan Agricultural Engineers Association to enable seamless fee payments via its app. The partnership supports financial inclusion, strengthens digital transformation, and enhances services for agricultural engineers, reinforcing Zain Cash’s role as a key player in Jordan’s digital economy.
Bangladesh plans to expand its fibre optic network to 500,000 km, shifting from overhead to underground systems to boost resilience. With Bakshi as a key manufacturer, the government aims to modernise infrastructure, unify networks, and position fibre optics as a growth sector for digital transformation.
Omantel has announced a major rebrand to become Oman’s flagship national technology powerhouse. Building on 5G, fibre, and subsea cables, it aims to transform Oman into a regional hub for AI, cloud, and smart city innovation, supporting Vision 2040 with new digital services, global partnerships, and hyperscaler investments.