Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Zain Kuwait partners with DHL to adopt GoGreen Plus, using Sustainable Aviation Fuel to cut air freight emissions by up to 80%. This initiative supports Zain’s net-zero 2050 goal, complementing its renewable energy, AI-driven efficiency, and robust sustainability programs, reinforcing its leadership in telecom climate action.
The +92Disrupt conference in Karachi brought together tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors, showcasing Pakistan’s growing startup ecosystem. Over two days, key topics such as AI fintech, gaming, and entrepreneurship were discussed, with emerging startups presenting their ideas to investors. The event fostered collaboration and provided valuable insights for innovators.
Mastercard appoints Saud Swar as country manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, and Levant, strengthening regional leadership. Swar brings 17+ years of financial services experience, including senior roles at American Express, to drive digital economy growth and partnerships.
BANK OF AFRICA has partnered with Mastercard to accelerate the digitalization of payments in Morocco. This collaboration aims to enhance the bank’s card portfolio, launch innovative solutions, and promote financial inclusion. The partnership leverages Mastercard’s expertise to support BANK OF AFRICA’s offerings and contribute to the growth of Morocco’s digital payments ecosystem.
MENA’s e-commerce market has surged by over 30% in 2024, driven by digital initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Digital Economy Strategy. The growth is creating both opportunities and challenges for logistics providers, who must innovate with automation, regional fulfilment centres, and real-time tracking solutions.
Mining Grid is set to host its first event in Dubai on September 28, focusing on the crypto and blockchain industry. The event will gather tech innovators, institutional investors, and traders to discuss digital currencies, DeFi, and regulatory trends, boosting the Middle East’s role in the global blockchain landscape.
Pakistan has made significant strides in closing the mobile internet gender gap, surpassing India and Bangladesh in female internet usage. In 2024, 45% of Pakistani women used mobile internet, driven by efforts from telecom operators and regulators. While rural women lead the surge, challenges like affordability and social norms remain.
Global generative AI spending is set to reach $644 billion by 2025, driven by hardware integration, with 80% of spending focused on devices like servers and smartphones. Despite high failure rates in early projects, the growth reflects AI’s increasing role in business and consumer technology, impacting all IT spending markets.
Dubai’s du and HPE have partnered with the Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD) to implement HPE GreenLake, enhancing CBD’s hybrid cloud capabilities. Hosted in du’s Tier III data centres, this solution aims to improve IT efficiency, security, and customer experience while supporting CBD’s five-year strategic digital transformation plan.
Kuwait’s CITRA, in collaboration with Zajil Telecom, has launched a new land-based international data corridor connecting Europe to the Gulf through Iraq. This route offers a faster, more reliable alternative to marine cables, with a 100-gigabit capacity, enhancing secure data transmission for large enterprises and service providers.