Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Nigeria climbed slightly to 97th in Surfshark’s 2025 Digital Quality of Life Index but remains constrained by poor Internet affordability, weak infrastructure, and slow speeds. While digital security improved, Nigerians still pay among the highest costs for mobile and fixed Internet, limiting AI readiness, digital inclusion, and broader economic opportunities.
Ncell’s mobile app has surpassed 10 million downloads, prompting a 10-day celebration campaign offering 10GB data rewards to lucky users. The feature-rich app has become central to daily digital use in Nepal, enabling easy access to services, purchases, and account management. Ncell says the milestone reinforces its support for Nepal’s digital-transformation goals.
Nepal’s 4G users have reached 2.59 crore, with mobile broadband penetration rising to 89%. NTC and Ncell continue to drive growth, adding over 1.11 lakh users in a month. Carrier aggregation and nationwide 4G coverage fuel adoption as Nepal prepares to sunset legacy networks and move toward commercial 5G services.
Australia has introduced its digital Immi App in Pakistan, enabling eligible applicants to upload passport details and facial biometrics via smartphone instead of visiting collection centres. The initiative, part of Australia’s global visa service modernisation, expands the app’s availability to 34 countries. Officials say the rollout will benefit travellers, students and skilled workers by saving time and reducing costs.
Egypt’s exports of mobile phones and components jumped from $129,000 in 2019 to $12 million in 2024, driven by the Egypt Makes Electronics programme and a suite of tax, customs, and regulatory incentives. With 15 brands producing locally and capacity of 20 million units annually, Egypt is fast emerging as a regional smartphone manufacturing hub.
Iran improved its global mobile internet ranking to 72nd in October 2025, with median speeds of 56.63 Mbps down and 12.41 Mbps up, according to Speedtest. While still trailing global averages, the country showed steady progress in both mobile and fixed broadband. The UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait led mobile rankings, while Singapore topped fixed broadband performance.
Kazakhstan has risen 12 spots to 45th place in global mobile internet speed rankings, achieving 94.54 Mbps on average. Astana and Almaty reported speeds above 130 Mbps, though fixed broadband remains weaker. The UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait lead globally, while Bolivia ranks lowest, highlighting stark global connectivity differences.
Pakistan’s IT exports continue to gain momentum, rising 17% YoY in October and totaling $1.44bn so far this fiscal year. Strong global demand in telecom, computer and information services is reinforcing Pakistan’s tech sector as a key engine of economic growth.
The UAE and Gulf nations continue to dominate MENA internet performance, with speeds exceeding 300 Mbps and a growing divide between high-speed leaders and the rest of the region. Jordan’s strong showing highlights accelerating digital progress beyond the Gulf as connectivity competition intensifies.
November 11, 2025: Netflix’s latest ISP Speed Index—which measures prime-time streaming performance—shows a general uptick in global internet speeds, with notable gains by providers in Kuwait and the United States.