Turkcell’s subsidiary TDC secured EUR100 million in interest-free murabaha financing from Emirates NBD to fund data center expansion and digital infrastructure projects. The agreement supports Turkcell’s growth strategy focused on eco-friendly, high-capacity data centers catering to cloud, AI, and big data demands in the MENAT region.
Veon and Engro have secured all regulatory approvals to combine their telecom infrastructure assets in Pakistan. Engro will acquire Deodar from Veon’s Jazz, enabling Jazz to operate as an asset-light company while maintaining service leases, supporting Pakistan’s digital transformation and infrastructure growth.
Saudi Arabia launches a new digital service enabling pilgrims to activate eSIMs instantly via app and biometric verification, ensuring seamless connectivity upon arrival. This innovation enhances the Hajj and Umrah experience by eliminating traditional SIM card activation delays and aligns with the Kingdom’s commitment to digital modernization.
The Girls in ICT Conference, organized by Nepal Telecommunication Authority and ITU, emphasized the need for equal digital access for girls and women. Officials highlighted government efforts to enhance digital inclusion and called for ICT education at the school level to close the gender gap in technology fields.
Morocco hosted the Smart City Morocco RoadShow & Expo 2025/2030 from May 21 to 23, promoting sustainable urban innovation across Casablanca, Rabat, and Benguerir. The event aligns with King Mohammed VI’s vision and prepares for the FIFA World Cup 2030, emphasizing resilient, connected, and inclusive smart cities.
Zain Kuwait and Rakuten Symphony have signed an MoU to pilot Kuwait’s first cloud-native Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN), deploying 5G Standalone sites with Rakuten’s virtualized Open RAN software. The initiative aims to boost network agility, efficiency, and scalability, marking a key step in Zain’s regional digital innovation.
BNET completes comprehensive risk culture assessment with Deloitte to enhance risk management and foster open risk dialogue across the organization, supporting Bahrain’s broadband security.
Zain KSA’s AI-powered 5G network, fully deployed across holy sites for Hajj 1446H, enhances connectivity, emergency response, and live streaming to improve pilgrims’ experience. The initiative supports Saudi Vision 2030 and positions the Kingdom as a global digital innovation hub.
STM Sanchar applies for Nepal’s unified telecom license, joining UTL and Smart Cell in the regulatory process. The unified license allows operators to offer fixed line, GSM, and international services under one framework. NTA verifies licensing conditions amid leadership challenges resolved by new government orders.
Morocco plans to launch 5G in six 2030 World Cup host cities, aiming for 25% national coverage by 2026 and 70% by 2030. Huawei leads the tender race alongside Western firms. With speeds 100x faster than 4G, 5G will enhance Morocco’s already high internet penetration of 90.7%.
