Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Heavy rains in Sindh disabled over 2,500 telecom towers, cutting mobile and internet access for thousands of users. PTA restored 1,800 towers within 24 hours, with most of Karachi’s services back online. The incident underscores the risks posed to telecom infrastructure by extreme weather.
Omantel is rebranding to become Oman’s national technology powerhouse, expanding beyond telecom into AI, cloud, IoT, and smart city solutions. Backed by 5G, fibre, and subsea cables, it aims to position Oman as a regional digital hub, offering major opportunities for investors and businesses aligned with Vision 2040.
Africa’s smartphone market grew 7% in Q2 2025, reaching 19.2M units. Driven by sub-$100 models, financing, and local assembly, the boom saw TRANSSION maintain 51% share, Xiaomi and HONOR rise, and 5G adoption accelerate. Africa is on track for further growth in 2025, cementing its role as a buyers’ hub.
Kenya is considering splitting Safaricom into three standalone entities — mobile, towers, and M-Pesa. Officials believe the move would enhance efficiency, reduce competition risks, and increase state revenue. The Central Bank supports direct oversight of M-Pesa, though Safaricom has resisted calls for separation.
Zong 4G will discontinue multiple value-added services including MusiCall, Eid greetings, and stock updates from September 15, 2025. The decision reflects changing user trends as telecoms shift from legacy VAS to high-speed data, streaming, and digital services, aligning with Pakistan’s growing digital-first ecosystem.
Kuwait has launched 5G Advanced (5.5G) technology through Huawei and Knetco, offering ultra-fast speeds and low latency to power smart cities, AI-driven industries, and next-gen services. The rollout supports Kuwait Vision 2035 and lays the foundation for 6G innovation.
Cisco has opened Egypt’s first CCIE Mobile Lab in Cairo with MCIT and NTI, enabling engineers to sit for one of the world’s toughest networking certifications locally. The initiative supports Egypt’s digital transformation strategy, cutting travel costs while boosting talent development and employability.
Chad and Niger have launched talks on fiber interconnection under the TSR project, seeking submarine cable access through coastal states to overcome digital isolation. Like other landlocked African nations, they face high transit costs and infrastructure challenges but are exploring redundancy links, satellite internet, IXPs, and data centers to boost resilience.
The Nemetschek Group has partnered with buildingSMART Saudi Arabia to accelerate openBIM adoption and digital standards in the kingdom’s construction sector. Aligned with Vision 2030, the collaboration will deliver training, certification, advisory services, and pilot projects to drive efficiency, sustainability, and digital innovation across infrastructure and urban development.
South Korea’s Rebellion has set up a subsidiary in Riyadh to expand its AI semiconductor business in the Middle East. Backed by a $14.4M investment from Saudi Aramco’s Wa’id Ventures, the startup plans to deepen collaborations with Aramco and Saudi telecom firms, supporting Vision 2030’s digital transformation agenda.