MENA telecom operators are moving their focus from rolling out 5G networks to earning returns on them, with a further AED 194 billion in capital expenditure expected between 2026 and 2030, according to GSMA Intelligence.
Regional 5G connections are forecast to rise from 67 million in 2025 to nearly 350 million by 2030, and 17 of MENA’s 24 markets had launched commercial services by September 2026. The GCC is out in front. Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar took the top three places among 46 countries in the 2026 GSMA 5G Connectivity Index, and Gulf adoption is projected to reach 95% by 2030, well above the 56% global average.
Fixed wireless access is part of 36 of the region’s 56 commercial 5G networks and already makes up around a fifth of Saudi broadband connections. Private networks are growing too, including a 11,000 sq km deployment by ADNOC and e&.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer