Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Systems Limited and Mashreq have renewed and expanded their two-year technology partnership, strengthening Pakistan’s role as a regional IT hub. The collaboration enables Mashreq to accelerate digital banking initiatives, while positioning Systems Limited as a trusted partner delivering globally competitive talent and solutions to the financial services sector.
Telenor’s exits from Pakistan and Thailand leave Bangladesh and Malaysia as its last Asian strongholds. For the first time, senior executives have acknowledged that Grameenphone could be part of future deals, even as they reaffirm “business as usual.” The shift reflects a broader strategy to reduce exposure outside core Nordic markets.
Egyptian fintech Mogo has partnered with Saudi payments firm Geidea to integrate smart POS technology with consumer finance services. The collaboration enables merchants to offer seamless payments and instalments, supports SME digitalisation, and advances financial inclusion across Egypt’s growing digital payments ecosystem.
Egypt’s ITIDA and NTI honoured 100 top students from the Summer Training Program, which targets 10,000 undergraduates with advanced ICT skills. Covering AI, cybersecurity, data science, and more, the initiative has already trained 6,125 students, awarded global certifications, and provided industry exposure through Smart Village tours.
Mashreq has launched a digital cross-border banking service enabling UAE-based Pakistanis to remotely open and manage Mashreq Pakistan accounts through its UAE app. The service includes a unified dashboard, zero minimum balance accounts, and free instant remittances via Quick Remit, simplifying cross-border financial management.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) will showcase its cutting-edge digital initiatives and AI-driven projects at Gitex Global 2024, highlighting its leadership in digital transformation. The event, taking place from October 14-18, will emphasize Dewa’s role in advancing Dubai’s position as a global hub for technology and innovation.
Egypt plans to increase local mobile phone production to 15 million units next year and begin exports, as part of a broader ICT strategy focused on manufacturing, digital exports, skills development, and infrastructure expansion.
Syria’s communications minister hailed Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation as “exceptional” during an official visit, signaling future ICT cooperation. He confirmed upcoming joint projects under a strategic vision shared by President Ahmad al-Shara and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The collaboration aims to advance technological infrastructure and fuel digital transformation initiatives in Sharjah.
Banglalink received Bangladesh Bank’s NOC to operate as a Payment Service Provider, enabling digital payments without holding deposits. Once infrastructure is finalised and inspected, a final licence will follow. The operator can process transfers, merchant and bill payments, entering direct competition with bKash and Nagad while advancing financial inclusion.