Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
LALIGA held a two-day digital strategy workshop in Baghdad for Iraqi clubs and the IFA, introducing its “Club Digital Office” programme. The initiative strengthens professionalisation, fan engagement, and digital maturity, forming part of a wider consultancy project that is already driving growth in audiences, youth development, and matchday attendance.
Knot, an Egyptian startup, is using AI to modernise online ticketing by tackling fraud, resale losses, and poor demand visibility. Its platform authenticates buyers, controls transfers, and tracks real-time demand, helping organisers recover revenue and gain data-driven insight across global event markets.
Meska AI convened Egypt’s tech ecosystem at Spark Vol.2, urging a shift toward enterprise-ready AI and stakeholder alignment. The event featured industry panels and a strategic partnership with PTS Holdings, giving startups access to investment and venture studio support while prioritising real business value over novelty.
Gobi Partners has made its first Bangladesh investment by backing Dhaka-based travel commerce platform Jatri. The company plans to scale product innovation and deepen its MENA expansion through Saafir, building global travel infrastructure that unifies inventory, distribution, and finance for enterprise buyers.
UNESCO Dhaka convened digital platforms, civil society, and media groups to address misinformation and digital risks ahead of Bangladesh’s February 2026 elections. The BALLOT workshop focused on AI threats, platform governance, and rights-based responses, strengthening capacity to protect electoral information integrity and public trust.
Bangladesh’s internet penetration remains at 53 percent, with sharp gender and rural gaps limiting digital inclusion. An ADB report highlights stalled interoperability, weak digital identity coverage, and fragmented governance, while pointing to mobile finance, health platforms, and rural digital centres as foundations for leapfrogging toward 2030 goals.
MobilityOne’s Malaysian unit will integrate with bKash to enable real-time wallet-to-wallet remittances between Malaysia and Bangladesh from February 2026. The move targets the large Bangladeshi worker base in Malaysia and supports a broader shift toward digital, low-cost cross-border payments.
Bangladesh’s digital healthcare push risks leaving rural and elderly populations behind. Telecom operators offer a scalable solution, combining trust, nationwide reach, and affordability. By embedding healthcare into everyday telecom ecosystems, Bangladesh can close access gaps and turn connectivity into a true public health catalyst.
Bahrain says it remains the only country with a Data Embassy law, enabling foreign data to be hosted locally under home-country jurisdiction. Finance Minister Sheikh Salman said this, alongside bankruptcy reform, education investment, and global fiber connectivity, is creating a fertile environment for AI-driven entrepreneurship and foreign capital.
Digicel Samoa has expanded 5G coverage in Apia to 25 sites following the addition of five new locations. The rollout is part of a WST23m network upgrade programme across Upolu and Savaii, improving speeds, reliability, and access to digital services in urban and residential areas.