Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Nepal Telecom has announced a 30% cash dividend, including tax, from last fiscal year’s profits. The payout will be approved at the company’s annual general meeting on January 14, 2026, with the book closure date set for January 4, maintaining last year’s dividend level.
Only 12% of Moroccans use mobile money, ranking the country among Africa’s lowest adopters, according to Afrobarometer. Regulatory hurdles, reliance on traditional banking, and digital divides have slowed uptake, with continued heavy cash usage highlighting challenges to financial inclusion.
Orange Group has launched an enhanced Engage for Change platform to empower employees to participate in corporate social responsibility initiatives. The program enables staff to dedicate paid working days to volunteering, supports global collaboration, and reinforces Orange’s commitment to sustainable social impact.
Orange Jordan has concluded its YO Ma’ak university tour, engaging students through interactive experiences across major universities. The initiative highlighted youth-focused mobile offerings, expanded 5G access, and on-ground engagement, reinforcing Orange Jordan’s commitment to digital empowerment and enhanced customer experience for young users.
Iraq has reinstated a 20% tax on mobile and internet recharge cards to boost state revenues and reduce the budget gap. While the tax is legally imposed on telecom companies, critics warn costs may be passed to consumers, raising concerns over fairness and service quality.
Egyptian life sciences startup Nawah Scientific has raised $23 million in Series A funding to expand its digital testing platform. The round will support a new global R&D center, increased lab capacity in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and expansion across North Africa and Europe.
Egypt’s score in the Digitalization of Work and Training Index increased by 1.9 points to 80.3 in 2025, placing it in the Leading Level category. The progress reflects national initiatives focused on digital skills training, youth empowerment, and workforce readiness for the global digital economy.
Egypt has approved the creation of a unified digital platform to simplify company incorporation, operations, licensing, and liquidation. Led by GAFI-owned Misr Investment for Development, the initiative will centralize services on Egypt Digital Platform, reducing approval times and improving ease of doing business for investors.
Microsoft has appointed Mohamed Kassem as General Manager of Microsoft Egypt, effective December 1, 2025. With nearly 20 years at Microsoft, Kassem will lead strategy and operations, partnering with government and enterprises to accelerate Egypt’s digital transformation across cloud, AI, and cybersecurity.
Nice Deer has partnered with Telecom Egypt to digitize healthcare services for over 28,000 employees using its health insurance platform. The collaboration aims to automate operations, improve claims management, increase transparency, and enhance efficiency, marking a key milestone in Egypt’s digital health insurance transformation.