Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Trango Tech has expanded its mobile app development services across the GCC, establishing dedicated teams in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. With operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, the company aims to meet rising demand for secure, scalable, and region-compliant mobile solutions across key industries.
Saudi Arabia is preparing to unveil three major tech strategies, including a plan to rank among the world’s top five AI training hubs. With its digital economy nearly doubling in nine years and major funds allocated to AI safety, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a global, responsible technology leader.
Saudi startup SDM is partnering with Cornell University to study the eye microbiome in space, using AI and orbital research to unlock new treatments for eye disease. Backed by Saudi institutions, the firm is already saving sight for thousands and advancing predictive healthcare through retinal scans.
Eight in ten payments in Saudi Arabia are now digital, with mobile transactions reaching 16 percent, according to Visa. Cash use continues to fall across dining and bill payments as consumers shift toward faster, safer card and mobile options, driven by convenience, security, and rewards.
Ooredoo’s Syntys has acquired Q Data’s two Tier III data centres in Qatar, adding 12.5MW of hyperscale capacity and lifting its national footprint to 26MW. The deal strengthens Qatar’s sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure and supports Syntys’ goal of reaching 120MW across MENA by 2030.
Government says Pakistan’s IT exports hit record monthly high in December
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information technology exports surged to a record $437 million in December, crossing the $400 million mark for the first time on a monthly basis, Finance Adviser Khurram Schehzad said on Monday.
The milestone underscores the growing importance of the tech sector as Pakistan pivots toward export-led growth while emerging from a prolonged economic crisis that strained foreign exchange reserves, widened balance-of-payments pressures, and weakened the currency.
“December 2025 exports reached $437 million — crossing $400 million in a month for the first time ever,” Schehzad said in a post on X. He added that the figure represents 23 percent month-on-month growth from November and 26 percent year-on-year growth compared with December 2024.
For the first half of the current fiscal year, IT exports reached $2.24 billion, up 20 percent from a year earlier, making the sector the largest and most consistent contributor within services exports.
Pakistan is under pressure to rapidly expand exports as part of broader structural reforms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. Earlier this month, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the country must double exports to $60 billion within four years or risk returning to the IMF.
IT exports have been on a steady upward trajectory, reaching a record $3.8 billion in the 2024–25 financial year, according to official data. The momentum has continued into the current fiscal year, with 19 percent year-on-year growth recorded between July and November, when exports totalled $1.8 billion.
The government views the technology sector as a central pillar for foreign exchange earnings and job creation as Pakistan seeks to consolidate recent macroeconomic gains and attract new investment.
GMEC has launched Global Pay, a mobile payments app powered by Comviva, offering wallets, remittances, bill payments, and QR-based merchant acceptance. The platform supports Oman’s cashless strategy, enables interoperability across providers, and expands financial access beyond banks through a licensed non-bank payment service model.
Global Money Exchange Oman has launched Global Pay, a new mobile payments app powered by Comviva, enabling bill payments, remittances, and merchant transactions. The platform supports Oman’s cashless ambitions, strengthens digital infrastructure, and expands access to secure, inclusive financial services for consumers and businesses nationwide.
India has crossed 400 million 5G users in just three years, becoming the world’s second-largest 5G market. With 85% population coverage, rapid rural growth, and home-grown network stacks, the country is redefining scale, speed, and digital self-reliance.
UNICEF and Finland launched a child-led photography exhibition in Kathmandu, amplifying children’s voices on education after crisis. Jhalko showcases resilience in earthquake-affected West Rukum and highlights how learning continuity protects wellbeing, restores normalcy, and builds long-term recovery through inclusive, safe education spaces.