Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Qatar’s Darkocean has launched NAVBathy, the world’s first Rapid Satellite-Derived Bathymetry engine delivering coastal depth maps in seconds using multi-source satellite imagery and proprietary AI. The platform offers instant bathymetric intelligence, API access, and mobile-friendly tools, attracting global investor interest and positioning Qatar as a leader in next-gen marine geospatial technology.
Pakistan has committed to making the internet safer for women and girls, with Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja linking online protection to national digital progress. Addressing widespread cyber-harassment and the digital gender gap, she emphasized digital skills, access, and safety as essential for women’s empowerment and Pakistan’s broader economic transformation.
Pakistan has launched its first sovereign AI cloud through a Telenor–Data Vault partnership, keeping all sensitive data within national borders and providing onshore GPU capacity for high-performance AI workloads. The platform strengthens data sovereignty, supports finance, health, telecom and government services, and gives Pakistan the foundation to develop its own AI systems.
The Central Bank of Oman has launched Maal, the Sultanate’s first national payment card, offering free debit and prepaid cards and lower processing fees for banks and merchants. The initiative aims to strengthen local payment sovereignty, reduce reliance on international schemes, cut transaction costs, and advance Oman’s broader digital economy goals.
PDO has partnered with UptimeAI to deploy an enterprise-wide AI-based Operational Excellence system that improves asset reliability, predicts equipment failures, and enhances operator decision-making. The solution uses expert-level reasoning, deep learning, and local cloud hosting to meet PDO’s security standards, supporting the company’s cost efficiency, digitalisation, and energy-transition goals.
AB Energy has partnered with China’s Wuxi Longmax Technology to manufacture mobile solar power plants in Oman, marking the country’s first venture into containerised clean-energy system production. The partnership will support regional markets, enable technology transfer, and establish a local assembly line to strengthen Oman’s renewable-energy ecosystem and sustainability goals.
Nepal Telecom will upgrade its customer call center numbers—197, 198, and 1498—on Mangsir 10, 2082, causing a brief one-hour outage from 11:30 PM to 12:30 AM. Scheduled at night to minimize impact, the upgrade aims to improve service quality. NTC apologized for any inconvenience and advised customers to call beforehand.
Morocco has launched a new investment support mechanism to strengthen funding for startups under the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy. Backed by key national institutions, the initiative aims to de-risk investments, attract capital, and accelerate the country’s innovation ecosystem while aligning with the vision of King Mohammed VI for digital sovereignty and technological leadership.
Kuwait has launched the STEM Racing Academy to train young students in engineering, aerodynamics, and design through hands-on racing car projects and workshops. Developed with Formula 1 and Mabani Real Estate, the program supports the national STEM Racing Championship and prepares Kuwaiti youth to compete in global innovation competitions.
Kuwait will host a national AI Hackathon in February 2026 as part of its push to accelerate digital transformation. Announced at SAP’s Innovation Day Forum, the initiative will unite government bodies, universities, and innovators to develop AI solutions, supported by SAP’s new partnership with CAIT to upskill Kuwait’s youth.