Page 100 - SAMENA Trends - August-September 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

selected as the primary partner for the rollout of the technology. enable use cases such as smart cities, automated industries, and
The company managed the process across all three mobile advanced digital services across Kuwait. The introduction of 5G
operators in the country, Ooredoo, Zain and stc, from infrastructure Advanced is expected to support applications beyond telecom
preparation to system integration, according to local press reports. services, including drone operations, advanced security systems,
The upgrade aligns with Kuwait Vision 2035, which emphasizes Li-Fi communication, and smart mobility. The rollout is also seen
digital infrastructure as a pillar of economic diversification and as a step toward Kuwait’s digital transformation goals and a
modernization. 5G Advanced is designed to provide speeds foundation for potential future migration to 6G technologies.
up to ten times faster than current 5G networks, support ultra- (August 25, 2025) www.rcrwireless.com
low latency, and increase network capacity. These features will

Morocco

Morocco will roll out commercial 5G services in November, the is structured around two pillars: Digitalization of Public Services
National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) said, (e-Gov) and Development of the Digital Economy. On the e-Gov
marking a major milestone in the country’s digital transformation side, Morocco aims to improve citizen and business services by
strategy. The regulator said all technical, regulatory and security establishing a single portal for all public services and generalizing
conditions have been met, with spectrum in the 700 MHz and 3.4– the use of shared digital identity and e-signature platforms. A key
3.8 GHz bands reallocated to support coverage. More than 80% target is to boost Morocco’s ranking in the UN Online Services
of urban radio sites are already fiber-connected, a prerequisite for Index from 113th to 50th by 2030. The economic pillar seeks
handling 5G traffic. The three national operators — Maroc Telecom, to stimulate local production of digital solutions, attract foreign
Orange Maroc and Inwi — are ready to activate services under a investment, and generate 240,000 direct jobs, while contributing
strict rollout plan. Coverage will begin in eight major cities and 100 billion MAD to GDP by 2030. Artificial intelligence and other
airports this year, reach 45% of the population by 2026 and 85% by high-value technology sectors are identified as priorities for growth.
2030. Each operator is paying a minimum of 600 million dirhams These efforts are supported by three accelerators: Digital Talents,
($66.4 million) for a 20-year license. With the launch, Morocco will to scale up digital professionals to 45,000 graduates annually;
join 21 African countries that already offer 5G, according to the Inclusive Usage, to extend digital access to all citizens including
African Telecommunications Union. (September 3, 2025) www.ecofinagency.com rural and disabled populations; and Cloud & Connectivity, which
focuses on strengthening national infrastructure and developing a
Morocco has officially launched its new national digital strategy, sovereign cloud for public and private sector needs. Built through
“Digital Morocco 2030”, aimed at positioning the country as a a participatory approach involving civil society, the private sector,
leading regional digital hub and accelerating social and economic and public institutions, Digital Morocco 2030 represents a national
development. The initiative reflects King Mohammed VI’s vision of commitment to digital transformation as a driver of inclusive
digital technology as a structural shift capable of creating jobs, development and economic competitiveness.
attracting investment, and transforming governance. The strategy (August 18, 2025) www.meatechwatch.com

Nepal

Nepal carried out electronic transactions worth over Rs 98.43 transactions of over Rs 6.2 trillion while payments of Rs 5.2 trillion
trillion in the last fiscal year (FY), which was 71 percent more were settled through faster payment systems. According to the
than the amount recorded in the previous FY. The records with NRB, more than Rs 5 trillion was settled via mobile banking, Rs 2.9
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) show that digital transactions have been trillion through Connect IPS, Rs 2.9 trillion through debit cards and
soaring heavily in the past few years. In FY 2023/24, the amount over Rs 1 trillion was settled through ATMs. Likewise, QR-based
was recorded at Rs 57.47 trillion. Considering the figure of Rs payments witnessed financial transactions of Rs 956 billion, while
34.42 trillion in FY 2020/21, the amount grew almost three-fold payments through e-commerce systems were recorded at Rs 266
in the past five years. According to the NRB officials, people have billion. Meanwhile, large chunks of payments were settled mainly
been switching to digital transactions from cash-based systems in the last month (between mid-June and mid-July) and first month
mainly due to an ease in trading mode along with safety concerns. (between mid-July and mid-August) of every fiscal year. In the first
In the FY 2024/25, people used the Real Time Gross Settlement month of FY 2024/25, digital transactions were recorded at Rs 126
(RTGS) platform to carry out transactions of Rs 74.9 trillion. billion, while the figure was Rs 119 billion in the last month.
Similarly, the electronic check clearing (ECC) system witnessed (August 27, 2025) www.myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com

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