Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Saudi’s Gathern raised $72M in Series B funding led by PIF-owned Sanabil Investments, reaching a $266M valuation. The platform manages 72,000 units across 200+ Saudi cities, contributing SAR 2B to the local economy. The funds will drive regional expansion, inbound tourism, long-term stays, and AI solutions, with a Tadawul listing on the horizon.
Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce market is set to reach $14.78 billion this year and $25 billion by 2029. WebCastle Technologies, recently entering the Saudi market, won the Best E-Commerce Agency Award at the 6th Middle East Retail & E-Commerce Summit and Awards KSA for their role in accelerating digital growth.
A cross-border Israeli-Moroccan startup prepares to launch an IT marketplace in France, highlighting Morocco’s rising role as a global tech outsourcing hub.
Kenya and Kuwait are set to sign an MoU to boost cooperation in ICT, health, transport, and labour, with a strong focus on the digital economy. The partnership will support Kenya’s fiber rollout, digital hubs, and literacy programs, while enhancing bilateral ties through training and technology collaboration.
Nepal is set to lift its nine-month ban on TikTok, following new regulatory changes. The government initially banned the app over social harmony concerns but now plans to reintroduce it with stricter guidelines. The move comes after TikTok pledged compliance with local regulations, addressing concerns while balancing user freedom and safety.
Jordan’s Institute of Public Administration (IPA) presented its strategic vision focused on administrative modernization, governance reforms, and expanding training through a new digital platform. The IPA trains 20,000 public sector employees annually via mixed learning formats and is restructuring governance to better meet sector needs.
The 13th Bahrain National Robotics Competition, themed ‘Allies of the Earth’, has started under the patronage of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Organized by the Ministry of Education and Britus Education, the event aims to enhance students’ skills in robotics and AI, with 364 participants from 118 teams.
Oman’s Global Money Exchange has launched Global Pay, a mobile payments app powered by Comviva’s mobiquity® Pay platform. The solution enables bill payments, remittances, and merchant transactions, aligning with Oman’s digital transformation agenda and supporting cashless adoption, financial inclusion, and modern payment experiences.
In Q1 2024, 200 Emiratis were trained in app development under the ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ initiative by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy. The initiative aims to train 1,000 Emiratis and triple Dubai’s app developers by 2025. The ‘App Olympics’ competition saw 1,100 participants in February.
Bahrain’s Ministry of Sustainable Development, in partnership with ITU and the UN, conducted a virtual workshop to enhance methodologies for calculating and reporting SDG indicators focused on digital connectivity. The initiative aims to improve data quality, support policymaking, and advance Bahrain’s progress toward bridging the digital divide.