Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Network International launched the UAE’s first biometric payments proof-of-concept with the Central Bank, showcasing palm and facial recognition for secure, cardless transactions and reinforcing the country’s push toward frictionless, future-ready digital payments.
e& launched Addictech, a digital wellbeing initiative using conceptual tech devices, educational content, and parental control tools to help families address screen addiction and build healthier digital habits for children and teens.
Saudi Arabia launched SMAI 2 to strengthen national data and AI capabilities through coordinated public-sector training, building on earlier programs that reached over one million Saudis and supporting responsible AI adoption across 11 government ministries.
GO Telecom’s subsidiary GO Money received final approval from SAMA to offer micro-consumer financing in Saudi Arabia, operating with SAR 20 million capital and supporting Vision 2030 goals to expand the Kingdom’s digital financial services ecosystem.
PayLater raised $10 million in seed funding to expand its BNPL platform in Qatar, scale into new sectors, enhance credit technology, and strengthen merchant integrations as investor confidence in the country’s regulated fintech ecosystem grows.
Bittium signed a Basic Ordering Agreement with NATO’s NCIA, becoming a preferred supplier of secure mobile devices and cybersecurity solutions and enabling faster procurement of encrypted communications technologies for NATO member countries.
Dialog Axiata integrated Sri Lanka’s GovPay platform into its eZ Cash service, enabling nationwide government service payments through over 55,000 retail outlets and advancing financial inclusion and digital government access.
Tencent Cloud plans to expand its Middle East data centre footprint over the next 12–18 months, capitalising on surging regional demand for cloud, AI, and digital infrastructure driven by government-led transformation agendas.
Ooredoo Palestine renewed its partnership with Qvantel after completing a real-time charging and billing upgrade, strengthening data monetisation, digital service scalability, and network performance to support rising demand for high-speed mobile data.
Qatar’s CRA participated in the 48th GCC Telecommunications Bureau Technical Committee meeting in Bahrain, contributing technical papers on spectrum management, mobile device applications, and interference mitigation while reinforcing regional coordination and global ICT engagement.