Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun invited Elon Musk to Beirut after Musk expressed interest in Lebanon’s telecom sector. Discussions around Starlink satellite internet highlight hopes for improving Lebanon’s unstable telecom infrastructure amid financial and reconstruction challenges.
City Bank has introduced Google Pay contactless payments for its Mastercard and Visa cardholders, becoming the first bank in Bangladesh to support Google Wallet and Google Pay. The service enhances convenient mobile payments in a country where Apple Pay remains unavailable.
Tecno’s Spark Go 2, launched in Bangladesh and now in India, offers enhanced durability, AI features, a brighter 120Hz display, and solid hardware at an affordable price. The device is expected to enter the Pakistani market soon at a similar price around PKR 23,000.
LINX and Digital Realty are launching the LINX Accra IXP in Ghana’s new ACR2 data centre, expanding LINX’s African footprint. This initiative aims to enhance low-latency connectivity and digital resilience, complementing existing LINX IXPs in Nairobi and Mombasa and supporting Africa’s growing internet ecosystem.
The 8th GISEC Summit gathered GCC leaders and cybersecurity experts to advance regional collaboration in technology, digital transformation, and cyber resilience. The event emphasized unified policies, showcased innovation, and promoted youth and startup involvement to position the Gulf as a global tech leader.
The 2025 Internet Governance Forum in Norway focused on enhancing participation of indigenous and underrepresented communities in internet governance through multilingualism, systemic reforms, and practical engagement. Experts highlighted initiatives like Universal Acceptance and emphasized collaboration, mentorship, and local capacity-building for truly inclusive digital spaces.
iXAfrica and EdgeNext have partnered to expand East Africa’s digital infrastructure, combining hyperscale AI-ready data centers with a global edge platform. The collaboration aims to provide low-latency, secure, and scalable solutions to enterprises in finance, media, telecom, and cloud sectors across the region.
Algeria is advancing university incubators to fuel entrepreneurship and tackle youth unemployment, targeting 20,000 startups by 2029. Engaging tens of thousands of students, the initiative fosters innovation and economic diversification but faces challenges like financing and infrastructure gaps.
General Assembly Bahrain and Advantari Digital Solutions have partnered to connect skilled graduates with industry opportunities, combining education and real-world experience to strengthen Bahrain’s digital talent pipeline. The partnership includes collaborative events and aims to foster innovation and growth in the tech sector.
Borouge and Honeywell are collaborating to develop AI-powered autonomous operations at Borouge’s UAE plant, pioneering the petrochemical industry’s first real-time AI control room. The initiative supports Borouge’s AIDT transformation goals to enhance efficiency, safety, and profitability at the world’s largest petrochemical site.