Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Nepal hosts its first waste hackathon “Bin There, Hacked That” on June 5 to develop tech solutions for waste management and empower informal workers, especially women. Supported by public-private partnerships, it invites innovators to tackle plastic pollution, recycling, and circular economy challenges.
Morocco marks a year of robotic surgery success, including record-setting remote operations. Oncorad leads with 178 procedures and expanding training programs. The health ministry plans robotics for major hospitals, targeting widespread adoption and rural access by 2030, cementing Morocco’s role as a regional medical technology hub.
Egypt’s ICT sector doubles its GDP share with 16% annual growth, driven by AI, skills training, and digital government initiatives. Strategic partnerships with IBM and a surge in outsourcing bolster Egypt’s digital economy, making it a leading tech hub and data transit gateway in Africa and the MENA region.
Egyptian startup Cloudilic launches Dragify, a no-code AI platform that builds autonomous digital agents to automate workflows. Adopted by fintech and real estate clients, it enables 24/7 intelligent automation without coding. Cloudilic targets MENA, GCC, and Europe markets with tiered SaaS offerings and international partnerships.
Egypt’s Investment Minister Hassan El-Khatib meets e& Egypt CEO Hazem Metwally to discuss investment support and future projects. e& Egypt has invested EGP 77 billion since 2006 and plans further expansion in the telecom sector.
Google Pay is launching soon in Bangladesh, starting with City Bank cardholders, enabling NFC-based payments and digital wallet use. The move follows its success across South and Southeast Asia, boosting Bangladesh’s digital finance growth alongside local platforms like bKash.
Yasir Azman becomes the first Bangladeshi CEO of Grameenphone, taking charge amid regulatory challenges and legal disputes over unpaid dues. He succeeds Michael Foley, who led digital transformation and record growth. Azman commits to driving innovation aligned with Digital Bangladesh goals.
Nigerian Communications Commission mandates telecom providers to notify customers of major outages with detailed info and advance notice. Operators must compensate for prolonged disruptions, report incidents publicly via a dedicated portal, reinforcing transparency and infrastructure protection under CNII classification.
Bangladesh’s IGW Operators Forum criticizes the new telecom licensing framework, warning it favors foreign players and risks local firms’ survival. The forum calls for protecting local investments, restoring SMS routing rights to local operators, and resisting foreign oligopoly amid evolving market dynamics.
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.