Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Africa’s telecom growth is driven by a young population and increasing digital demand. Key players like MTN South Africa, Vodacom, and MTN Nigeria lead in subscribers and innovation, while companies such as Safaricom and Maroc Telecom drive digital finance and 5G expansion. The continent’s telecom landscape remains dynamic and pivotal to Africa’s digital future.
Zain KSA and Cisco have partnered to build scalable AI infrastructure and GPUaaS offerings in Saudi Arabia. The initiative supports AI adoption, local talent development, and aligns with Vision 2030’s digital transformation goals to establish the country as a hub for AI and advanced technologies.
NEC and Singtel-led partners are building the AUG East subsea cable to connect major Asian markets with high-capacity digital infrastructure. This project addresses the rising demand for bandwidth driven by AI applications and aims to strengthen digital connectivity and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region by 2029.
Qatar’s MCIT highlighted its national digital priorities and AI initiatives at WSIS+20 Forum 2025, reinforcing its role in global digital cooperation and promoting inclusive, knowledge-driven digital societies.
Zong launched its locally hosted enterprise cloud platform, Z SAIS Cloud, in Karachi, establishing strategic partnerships and emphasizing cloud sovereignty as Pakistan accelerates toward a digital-first economy with scalable, secure infrastructure.
PTCL Group and TPL Corp have partnered to deploy M2M devices, secure data centers, and managed network services, enhancing Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and operational efficiency as part of their shared vision for a technology-driven future.
Batelco introduced Voya, Bahrain’s first global data roaming eSIM service, enabling users from any network to activate affordable, flexible roaming instantly on eSIM devices across 140+ destinations, supporting Bahrain’s vision for smart, borderless connectivity.
Morocco is launching 5G before AFCON 2025, aiming for 25% population coverage by end-2025 and 70% by 2030. Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt have already started 5G deployments, with the rest of Africa progressing at varying speeds toward super-fast internet.
Bahrain’s landing of the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system boosts its connectivity capacity tenfold, advancing Economic Vision 2030. With 180 Tbps capacity, it supports emerging technologies and positions Bahrain as a key digital hub in the GCC and globally.
5G adoption in Africa is rapidly growing with multiple commercial launches and rising subscriber numbers, but device costs, infrastructure, spectrum, and regulatory challenges hinder wider access. Addressing these barriers could enable 5G to add $10 billion to Africa’s economy by 2030.