Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
TikTok removed over 17.4 million violative videos across MENA in Q3 2025, driven by record automation and proactive moderation. With near-instant takedowns, strengthened LIVE enforcement, and large-scale underage account removals, the platform continues to prioritise user safety and trust across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Lebanon, and Morocco.
Egypt is using AI and satellite imagery to track and remove water hyacinth from the Nile, modernising irrigation management. Integrated with platforms like Google Earth Engine, the system enables real-time monitoring, faster decisions, and targeted removal, addressing a century-old ecological threat that disrupts canals, farmers, and national water security.
Al-Futtaim Appoints Tarek Tantawy as CEO of Egypt Operations to Drive Strategic Growth
Al-Futtaim has announced the appointment of Tarek Tantawy as Chief Executive Officer of Al-Futtaim Egypt, effective January 15, 2026, marking a strategic evolution in the Group’s operating model in one of its priority growth markets.
The appointment establishes a single country CEO structure for Egypt, aligning strategy, capital allocation, and operational priorities across the portfolio to ensure the Group operates as One Al-Futtaim. The role is designed to deliver consistent execution, strengthen collaboration across business units, and deepen engagement with customers, partners, and national stakeholders.
“I am honoured to join Al-Futtaim at a pivotal moment for its Egypt operations,” Tantawy said. “Egypt represents a long-term growth engine for the Group, with scale, complexity, and opportunity across multiple sectors. Aligning our businesses behind a clear country strategy and strengthening execution discipline will be essential to unlocking value through collaboration across the portfolio.”
David Henderson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Al-Futtaim, said the appointment reinforces portfolio-level accountability and enables disciplined capital deployment as the Group’s footprint in Egypt continues to expand.
Tantawy brings more than 27 years of leadership experience across strategy, operations, finance, and executive management. Most recently, he served as Group Co-CEO and Managing Director at Palm Hills Developments. He previously held senior leadership roles including CEO and Managing Director at Telecom Egypt, Group Co-CEO at CI Capital Holding, and CFO at IDJ-Beyti, alongside multiple board appointments across financial services, telecommunications, education, real estate, and FMCG.
Al-Futtaim has operated in Egypt for over four decades and today maintains a diversified presence across real estate, retail, automotive, and insurance. The Group’s footprint includes Cairo Festival City and its mall, alongside recent expansion into premium education through a partnership with Dwight Schools and the Al-Futtaim Education Foundation.
The appointment signals a sharpened focus on scale, governance, and long-term value creation in Egypt, positioning the Group for its next phase of growth in the market.
A seminar at FBA explored how Bangladesh’s telecom sector drives economic growth. Grameenphone’s Mohammed Kayum Sarker shared insights on taxation, pricing misconceptions, and the industry’s GDP contribution, giving accounting students real-world context on the financial dynamics shaping national development.
BBK has become the first GCC bank to integrate Binance’s Crypto-as-a-Service, enabling in-app crypto trading within its mobile platform, pending regulatory approval. The move positions Bahrain as a regional crypto hub and marks a milestone for embedded, regulated digital asset banking in the Gulf.
Algeria has launched the Alsat-3A Earth observation satellite from China, expanding its high-resolution geospatial capabilities. Supervised by senior defence leadership, the mission enhances national capacity in satellite imagery, mapping, and digital terrain modelling, building on two decades of investment in space technology and remote sensing infrastructure.
Morocco has renewed satellite communication licenses for nine operators, covering VSAT, GMPCS, and frequency-sharing services. Backed by ANRT, the move reinforces satellite connectivity as core infrastructure and positions Morocco among Africa’s leading space actors, supporting communications, environmental monitoring, security, and rural connectivity across the country.
Pakistan’s telecom regulator has warned multiple broadband providers, including PTCL and Net Cloud Telecom, after a Q4 2025 survey revealed widespread issues with latency, jitter, and network reliability. While minimum speeds are met, weak routing, core failures, and peak-hour congestion continue to disrupt video calls, gaming, and international access.
Lebanon’s Cabinet is reviewing a plan to relaunch international tenders for managing its two public mobile networks, shifting toward a hybrid model that blends state ownership with private operation. The move aims to improve performance, restore competitiveness, and attract investment while avoiding full privatisation of national telecom assets.
e& enterprise has partnered with Sergas to modernise energy operations through cybersecurity, AI-driven customer service, and intelligent communications. The collaboration introduces a next-generation SOC, omnichannel engagement, and automation, enabling Sergas to improve resilience, efficiency, and customer experience while embedding digital intelligence across its operations.