Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
5G adoption in Africa is rapidly growing with multiple commercial launches and rising subscriber numbers, but device costs, infrastructure, spectrum, and regulatory challenges hinder wider access. Addressing these barriers could enable 5G to add $10 billion to Africa’s economy by 2030.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dharmapala Weerakkody, and BASIS members met to discuss strengthening ICT collaboration between the two countries. They explored opportunities in software development, BPO, knowledge sharing, and joint ventures. BASIS was invited to participate in Sri Lanka’s “Disrupt Asia 2025” ICT event in Colombo.
stc Kuwait has been ranked as the 3rd strongest telecom brand globally and the most valuable in the Middle East, according to Brand Finance’s “Telecoms 150” Report. The company’s 16% growth in brand value to $16.1 billion is attributed to its Masterbrand strategy and significant achievements in digital transformation.
Arabsat has partnered with neXat to manage its multicontinental managed services through a single application. This collaboration will reduce operational costs, automate tasks, and enhance service delivery across governmental, enterprise, and consumer markets. The neXat platform will provide a customized OSS-BSS suite, ensuring future integration with new virtualized hub solutions.
Omantel has successfully concluded its Extended Reality Bootcamp, bringing together 37 tech enthusiasts to explore Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality. The event, aimed at fostering innovation and supporting Oman’s Vision 2040, featured industry experts and focused on equipping participants with essential XR skills for future tech entrepreneurship.
Roblox has suspended in-game chat across Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East to address child safety concerns and improve content moderation. The move follows regulatory pressure, recent bans in Kuwait, Qatar, and Turkey, and lawsuits abroad, raising global questions about online safety and responsibility in gaming platforms.
Wasoko and MaxAB have completed Africa’s largest tech merger, creating a Pan-African platform serving 65 million consumers. The merger expands fintech services, intra-Africa trade, and private label products across five countries, positioning the company as a leader in Africa’s evolving tech ecosystem.
Bahrain’s Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) has partnered with Thales to revamp the kingdom’s ID card system, enhancing biometric and security features and aligning with global digital standards. This initiative supports Bahrain’s 2030 Economic Vision and aims to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Robi Axiata has partnered with The Binary Holdings to introduce Web3-powered gamification, offering rewards for user interactions such as content creation and data usage. This collaboration aims to enhance user engagement, increase revenue, and drive blockchain adoption in Bangladesh’s rapidly growing digital market, benefiting over 40 million subscribers.
The logistics sector is on the brink of an AI revolution, promising to deliver a customer experience that’s more personal, transparent, and swift.
As the logistics industry embarks on this transformative journey, Wahyd is poised to lead the charge into an AI-enabled future.