Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
CFI Financial becomes the first investment platform in Bahrain to integrate with eKey for Business, enabling biometric, passwordless onboarding. The move strengthens digital trust, streamlines KYC compliance, and advances Bahrain’s eKey 2.0 vision to extend sovereign digital identity across the private sector.
Oman Data Park and ZainTECH have formed a strategic alliance to deliver compliant, locally hosted cybersecurity services across Oman. By combining in-country infrastructure with regional expertise, the partnership strengthens digital trust, supports government and enterprise resilience, and builds a secure foundation for Oman’s accelerating digital transformation.
Pakistan’s mobile networks are steadily upgrading as fiberization reaches 17.9% in 2025, up from 14.8% a year earlier. With over 58,000 cell sites, rising data consumption, and expanding international bandwidth, the country is strengthening its digital backbone and laying the groundwork for higher-speed, future-ready connectivity.
Qatar and the UAE will join a US-led initiative to secure AI and semiconductor supply chains under the Pax Silica framework. The move signals a strategic shift toward “silicon statecraft,” aligning Gulf states with allies such as Israel, Japan, and the UK to protect critical technology infrastructure and reduce reliance on rival powers.
Tarasol has been accredited by Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority after meeting 66 national criteria for government correspondence systems. Selected among only nine platforms, it reflects NVSSoft’s decade-long role in public-sector operations, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s digital governance framework while advancing AI-enabled, compliant, and interoperable government services.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 has sold out its startup programme with 1,600 startups confirmed and the exhibition floor at capacity. The event will bring 30,000+ attendees to Doha, spotlighting AI, quantum computing, fintech, and digital transformation while reinforcing Qatar’s position as a global technology hub.
VoPay has established its global headquarters in Qatar, positioning Doha as a hub for cross-border financial infrastructure. The move supports Qatar’s digital economy ambitions, includes plans to hire 400 professionals, and enables VoPay to scale AI-driven payment and financial systems across MENA, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Pakistan is accelerating its shift toward a cashless economy as finance officials engage Visa on digital payments, government digitization, and financial inclusion. The talks align with IMF-backed reforms and focus on modernizing payment rails, expanding access beyond major cities, and building trust in digital finance nationwide.
Sky47 and Wateen have formed a strategic alliance to strengthen Pakistan’s digital backbone for cloud, AI, and enterprise workloads. The partnership links Sky47’s carrier-neutral data centers with nationwide high-capacity connectivity, enabling hyperscale-ready infrastructure aligned with Pakistan’s Cloud-First vision and accelerating the country’s digital transformation.
Jazz introduces ‘JazzWorld’ as new corporate group identity
Telecom operator Jazz has unveiled JazzWorld as its new corporate group identity, signaling a strategic shift that brings its expanding portfolio of digital and non-telecom businesses under a single umbrella.
The move mirrors global technology rebrands such as Facebook’s transition to Meta and Twitter’s evolution into X, where parent identities were redefined to reflect broader ambitions beyond their original platforms, while core consumer brands remained intact.
Jazz said JazzWorld represents its transformation from a traditional telecom operator into a multi-business group spanning digital services, financial platforms, lifestyle applications, health tech, cloud, and emerging technologies. Under the new structure, Jazz will continue to operate as the group’s core telecom brand within existing legal and regulatory frameworks, while JazzWorld becomes the overarching corporate identity.
Entities grouped under JazzWorld include JazzCash, Mobilink Bank, Tamasha, ROX, Simosa, Garaj, Teknosys, ApnaClinic, ZARR, and FikrFree, alongside newer growth areas such as data centres, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
As part of the restructuring, Jazz announced the creation of a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer role, appointing Aamer Ejaz to lead the function. The company also confirmed that its Chief Information Security Officer will now report directly to the CEO, reflecting an elevated governance focus on cybersecurity.
The rebrand does not alter Jazz’s status as a licensed telecom operator. The Jazz brand will remain responsible for connectivity services, while JazzWorld serves as the corporate architecture for the group’s broader digital ambitions.
Further details on how the JazzWorld identity will be reflected across platforms and products are expected in the coming weeks.