Digital Inclusion 2014

Mobile is now central to economic diversification across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The region has some of the world’s most advanced 5G markets across the Gulf Cooperation Council states, but large parts of MENA's population remain offline, and the 2026 regional conflict has shown how vulnerable digital infrastructure is. In addition to exploring these areas, this report examines how 5G, AI infrastructure and digital identity are transforming the region and explores what policymakers need to do to support operators.

B2B has emerged as a strategic growth area for operators and the wider tech/digital ecosystem. As the digital transformation of vertical sectors accelerates, gaining insights directly from enterprises is key. GSMA Intelligence surveyed almost 900 enterprises from 10 vertical sectors across the GCC and wider MENA region to gain insight into their digital transformation. The research focused on strategic objectives, investment plans, use of technology, deployment challenges, supplier decisions, tech sovereignty, and policy and regulation.

Mobile operators face a defining moment in authentication. SMS one-time password (OTP) remains widely used and commercially important, but fraud, rising costs and competition from passkeys and app-based solutions are weakening its position. At the same time, the customer authentication market is growing. This presents operators with an opportunity to build on the reach and trust of the mobile number to secure a larger role in a rapidly expanding market. API-based solutions will be central to this.