Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
LINX has upgraded the center3 Internet Exchange Point in Riyadh, adding 400GE capabilities and expanding 100GE availability. The enhancements strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a digital hub, supporting Vision 2030 goals for AI, cloud, and smart cities, while attracting global tech investment through advanced interconnection infrastructure.
Grow Safe and Silicon Technologies have signed an MoU to integrate AI into HSE compliance across Pakistan’s industries. The partnership will deliver automation, real-time monitoring, and intelligent safety systems to create safer and more sustainable environments, redefining tech-enabled compliance models for the corporate and industrial sectors.
Pakistani women are rising in data science, with enrollment up 40% since 2018 and global success stories like Google’s Shafiqa Iqbal inspiring a new generation. Universities and companies are fostering inclusion, and women are now leading impactful AI projects across healthcare, banking, and logistics, reshaping Pakistan’s tech future.
Ooredoo has launched the Salalah Data Centre and submarine cable landing station, the first of its kind in southern Oman. Strategically located to connect Asia, Europe, and Africa, the facility will expand from 125 to 500 racks, enhancing global connectivity, cloud adoption, and AI innovation while driving Oman’s role as a regional digital hub.
Pakistan has set national targets to expand digital payments: 2 million digital merchants, 120m mobile banking users, and 15bn annual transactions by FY26. The plan also aims to route all remittances through wallets or banks. JazzCash and Easypaisa lead the market, while other telcos lag behind.
Oman has launched a digital platform for motorists to settle road damage costs after traffic accidents. The system enables online submission, review, and payment, streamlining claims and accelerating repairs to infrastructure like streetlights, traffic signals, and barriers. It improves transparency, accountability, and service efficiency in line with Oman’s digital vision.
Oman’s mobile subscriptions hit 8 million by June 2025, up 15.7% year-on-year. Broadband demand surged, with mobile broadband at 5.5 million and IoT connections doubling to 1.56 million. Fibre and 5G adoption grew, while legacy ADSL and fixed 4G services continued to decline, reflecting a shift to next-gen networks.
Nepal will launch 5G in Kathmandu and Pokhara by Magh 2082 following PM Oli’s directive to the communication ministry. This will be the first public rollout of 5G in the country, with Nepal Telecom expected to deliver speeds up to 1 Gbps, offering faster, more consistent, and lower-latency connectivity.
Nepal has launched a Rs two billion, three-year project to extend optical fibre in Gandaki and Lumbini provinces. Led by NTA and NTC under the RTDF, the project will install 1,900 km of fibre across 23 districts and 194 local levels, advancing the government’s Digital Nepal Framework.
Morocco has launched its “Digital Morocco 2030” strategy to become a regional digital hub. The plan aims to digitize public services, boost the digital economy with 240,000 new jobs, and raise the UN Online Services Index ranking to 50th by 2030. Three accelerators—talent, inclusion, and connectivity—will drive implementation.