Browsing: WeChat and Tencent

• The cloud business unit of China’s tech giant Tencent is seeing a huge opportunity for growth in the Middle East region.
• At the moment, Gulf states are committing capital and policy support behind the vision of 4IR-driven economies.
• Tencent Cloud is offering a cloud-based platform for developing and distributing lightweight applications—mini-apps framework—within a digital ecosystem.

With the ambitious development of smart cities and other tech-based industries across the Middle East, the cloud business unit of China’s tech giant Tencent is seeing a huge opportunity for growth in the region.

Whether it is fintech applications based on the blockchain, vertical farms that use less water to grow food, or the manufacture of high-end electric and self-driving vehicles, Gulf states are committing capital and policy support behind the vision of 4IR-driven economies.

UAE has launched a digital economy

The UAE itself is at the forefront of the adoption of technology. With a …

Africa’s leading Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), MTN, Vodacom and Safaricom, have recently made bold plans to venture into the increasingly dynamic world of fintech. On 23^rd June 2021, Safaricom launched its super app, which creates an ecosystem of mini-apps from the network operator as well as third-party apps that feed off the super app[1]. A month prior to this development, Safaricom, the leading MNO in Kenya announced plans to release an Application Protocol Interface (API) for the super app to enable third-party app developers to build more products and services on top of the super app[2]. This means the super app is going to be an app store that consolidates the reach of Safaricom.

In May, MTN also announced plans to become a tech platform to rival the likes of Apple and WeChat as part of their Ambition 2025 which is currently being implemented[3]…