Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and Cisco have launched Indonesia’s first sovereign SOC, powered by Splunk Cloud, to deliver AI-driven threat detection while keeping national data under local jurisdiction. The initiative also supports training one million Indonesians in cybersecurity and networking by 2030.
Iraq has signed two new submarine cable deals — one with Batelco by Beyon and another with UAE’s Breeze Investments — to land new systems at Al-Faw Peninsula. These projects, along with Ooredoo’s FIG cable, aim to transform Iraq into a strategic hub for regional and global data traffic.
Iraq is set to launch Vodafone Iraq, a new state-backed operator introducing 5G services under a 20-year brand license with Vodafone. The operator will rely on Iraqi graduates trained by Vodafone, cover major cities in its first phase, and hold exclusive 5G rights for three years to accelerate adoption.
Egypt’s Prime Minister reviewed national ICT and digital transformation strategies with key ministers, highlighting efforts to attract investment, build digital skills, and foster startup growth. The ICT sector now contributes 5.8% to GDP, with major initiatives like the Digital Egypt platform, AI projects, and a booming outsourcing industry.
Madari Space, an Abu Dhabi startup, will launch a proof-of-concept orbital data centre in 2026, partnering with MBRSC and the UN. The mission aims to demonstrate sustainable off-planet data storage to cut carbon emissions, support AI-era infrastructure, and prepare for the cislunar economy.
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, in collaboration with Cisco, has launched Indonesia’s first Sovereign SOC, introducing Splunk-based AI-powered threat detection under national jurisdiction. The initiative will protect critical infrastructure, train one million Indonesians by 2030, and provide affordable security services to over 10,000 SMEs, strengthening digital sovereignty and resilience.
The 9th International Scientific Conference on Arbaeen urged Iraq to integrate Arbaeen’s values into education, adopt AI and drones for crowd management, improve infrastructure, and promote sustainability. It also recommended global partnerships, research grants, and greater youth and women’s participation.
Egypt’s ICT sector is expanding rapidly, growing 16% annually and contributing 5.8% to GDP. With over 145,000 outsourcing jobs, 8M Digital Egypt users, and a 25-fold increase in training budgets, the government is prioritising innovation, AI, and digital entrepreneurship to attract global investment.
Africa’s smartphone shipments rose 7% in Q2 2025 to 19.2M units, led by Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa. Sub-$100 smartphones soared 38%, reshaping demand. Transsion held 51% market share, followed by Samsung and Xiaomi. Rural markets and fintech-driven services are emerging as key growth drivers.
Madari Space, an Abu Dhabi startup, will launch its first orbital data centre mission in Q3 2026 with UAE and UN partners. Positioned as a sustainable alternative to Earth-based data centres, the initiative aims to serve Earth observation operators, reduce carbon emissions, and prepare for the future cislunar economy.