Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Bahrain’s agreement with SandboxAQ marks a national rollout of quantum-safe cybersecurity across government ministries. Using AI-driven tools, the initiative aims to protect sensitive data from future quantum threats while strengthening digital resilience and local cybersecurity capabilities.
Merak Capital has invested SAR203 million in Saudi cybersecurity firm DSShield to support expansion of operations, technology development, and managed services. The deal strengthens DSShield’s role in Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing cybersecurity market and supports its pathway toward a future public listing.
Reliable onboard Wi-Fi is being introduced on Gabon’s passenger trains through a partnership between Eutelsat and Airtel Gabon, using OneWeb LEO satellites. The project supports national digital transformation goals, enhances passenger comfort, and extends broadband access to rail routes beyond terrestrial network coverage.
In 2025, the UAE expanded its space infrastructure through new satellite launches, lunar missions, and international partnerships. From communications and Earth observation satellites to Mars and Moon exploration initiatives, the country continues to strengthen its role in global space research and technology development.
du has partnered with Huawei to deploy the UAE’s first customised multi-band indoor 5G solution, integrating 3G, 4G, and 5G into a single unit. The initiative enhances indoor coverage, reduces power and space requirements, and supports du’s 5G-Advanced roadmap and sustainability goals.
Ncell has launched its VoLTE Capacity Enhancement Project in Pokhara, enabling HD voice and WiFi calling services for up to five million customers. Inaugurated by Minister Jagdish Kharel, the project strengthens network reliability and supports Nepal’s broader digital transformation goals.
Nepal Telecom has launched 4G services in Hima Rural Municipality, Jumla, providing reliable mobile internet and voice connectivity to wards 1–7 for the first time. The expansion ends long-standing connectivity challenges in the remote region and supports Nepal’s broader digital inclusion and rural development efforts.
Bahrain has partnered with Alphabet spin-out SandboxAQ to deploy AI-based cybersecurity tools across more than 60 government ministries. Using the AQtive Guard platform, the initiative aims to strengthen encryption monitoring and address long-term risks such as quantum computing, highlighting growing government focus on proactive, AI-driven cyber defence.
e& UAE has upgraded its EMIX IP transit platform to 400G using Cisco ASR9000 routers to handle traffic growth exceeding 20% annually. The upgrade boosts capacity, lowers latency, and introduces AI-driven automation, improving performance and reliability for wholesale and operator customers across the MENA region.
The successful hollow-core fibre trial demonstrates how advanced fibre technologies can deliver significant latency improvements and higher performance for modern networks. By validating the technology in live field conditions, e& UAE and ZTT have taken an important step toward enabling faster, more efficient connectivity for data centres, cloud platforms, and emerging digital services across the UAE.