Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Saudi Arabia is rapidly shifting toward digital payments, with 67% of consumers now largely non-cash users, up 4% year-on-year. Visa’s report shows declining cash use across everyday categories as cards and mobile wallets gain ground, driven by convenience, security, rewards, and alignment with Vision 2030.
Abu Dhabi has launched a Digital Arabic Library on Amazon, offering over 38,000 Arabic eBooks and audiobooks, including 1,000 free titles. The initiative expands global access to Arabic literature, supports regional publishers, and strengthens Arabic’s presence in the digital ecosystem for more than 400 million speakers worldwide.
Pakistan and the UAE agreed to deepen cooperation in investment, trade, and telecom, with PTCL and Etisalat’s future plans central to talks. Ishaq Dar pushed for early resolution of legacy issues to unlock UAE investment. Parallel diplomacy with Iran reinforced Pakistan’s regional engagement.
This agreement brings US engineering expertise into Libya’s telecom sector, targeting infrastructure upgrades and 5G deployment. The partnership aims to modernize national networks, transfer technical know-how, and improve service quality, positioning Libya’s communications sector for future growth and digital resilience.
Bangladesh’s telecom regulator has given mobile operators one week to submit plans to cut data prices, warning of intervention if costs remain high. While operators cite inflation and FX pressures, the government has ordered relief for consumers as public frustration grows.
Saudi Arabia’s Humain and the National Infrastructure Fund have unveiled a $1.2 billion framework to build up to 250MW of hyperscale AI data centres, signalling a major push to anchor sovereign AI infrastructure in the Kingdom and attract global capital into its digital economy.
Qatar is advancing mission-critical connectivity through secure 5G, private networks, and satellite services, positioning digital infrastructure at the heart of national security. Vodafone Qatar’s DIMDEX showcase and Starlink partnership highlight how resilient connectivity is shaping defence, maritime, and public safety operations.
ADIB has named Corgea, Nothreat, and DTEX Systems as winners of its UAE Cybersecurity Innovation Challenge, spotlighting global startups delivering AI-driven solutions to strengthen digital resilience. The initiative aligns with national cybersecurity priorities and reinforces the UAE’s ambition to build a secure, future-ready financial ecosystem.
Ankabut has partnered with WeVideo to expand digital learning tools across the UAE and GCC. The collaboration integrates cloud-based video creation into education systems, empowering schools and universities with interactive, creative learning capabilities aligned with national digital transformation and innovation goals.
UAE parents are now legally responsible for supervising children’s online activity under the new Child Digital Safety Law. The law mandates monitoring, parental controls, and reporting harmful content, while forcing global platforms to comply with age checks, data protections, and advertising limits for minors.