Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
BENEFIT and Ant International have partnered to launch Alipay+ cross-border QR payments in Bahrain starting in 2026. The initiative will allow over 15,000 merchants to accept international wallet payments and will later enable outbound payments for Bahraini consumers. The partnership supports Bahrain’s digital economy strategy and strengthens its position as a regional fintech hub.
The SeaMeWe-6 subsea cable has landed in Karachi, marking a major boost to Pakistan’s international connectivity. Spanning 21,700 km and linking Asia to Europe, the system includes 17 landing points and is due to go live next year. Transworld Associates is the landing partner and says the investment supports Pakistan’s digital infrastructure ambitions.
Algeria Startup Challenge 2025 concluded with nine new agreements between start-ups and major operators, reinforcing its role as a national open-innovation platform. Five sector winners were recognized, ranging from digital tourism to AI healthcare and IoT hygiene systems. The event attracted hundreds of start-ups nationwide and highlighted growing private-sector support for innovation.
Ethio Telecom and ZTE have rolled out 152 rural base stations, extending 2G–4G connectivity to over one million people in remote Ethiopian regions. Using modular, solar-powered technology, the project cuts construction costs and accelerates deployment while supporting services like Telebirr. The expansion strengthens national coverage as Ethio Telecom targets major revenue growth.
Bahrain and the UK signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to deepen cooperation across rail, smart mobility, maritime, aviation and sustainable transport. During a meeting in London, both countries agreed to expand technical collaboration, launch capacity-building initiatives and improve public transport systems, reinforcing longstanding bilateral ties in infrastructure development.
du, BubbleRAN and Khalifa University have demonstrated the world’s first Arabic voice-controlled telecom network using O-RAN and AI-RAN APIs. Powered by an Arabic-native LLM and coordinated AI agents, the system converts spoken Arabic intent into validated network actions, enabling zero-touch automation and advancing the region’s path toward fully autonomous 5G/6G networks.
Kazakhstan’s TNS-Plus and Turkmenistan’s Turkmentelecom signed an MoU to build a new cross-border telecom cable link, supported at senior government levels. A joint working group will finalize technical plans, with construction targeted for completion within a year. The project aims to enhance regional connectivity and further deepen digital cooperation between the two countries.
Saudi Arabia’s telecom sector posted revenues of SAR 80.46 billion and profits of SAR 14.46 billion in the first nine months of 2025, fuelled by demand for 5G, cloud services, and digital infrastructure. stc led the market with 80% of total profits, while Mobily and Zain KSA reported strong growth. Analysts expect continued momentum driven by Vision 2030 digital investments.
ARP Digital Holdings has expanded its digital asset wealth management offering through a strategic partnership with DV Trading and Centaur Markets, alongside the appointment of Anestis Arampatzis as Group CIO. The collaboration enhances ARP’s ability to deliver regulated, institutional-grade structured products and strengthens its regional presence as demand for digital asset investment solutions grows across the Middle East.
OPSWAT will demonstrate its OP/X Mobile Lab, MetaDefender Kiosk and new Unit 515 cybersecurity division at Black Hat MEA 2025, highlighting advanced protection for critical infrastructure across IT and OT environments. Through OPSWAT Academy training and AI-driven threat defenses, the company aims to support Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing digital economy and strengthen regional cyber resilience.