Operators, technology leaders, policymakers and innovators gather in Doha today for three days of exhibition, collaboration and debate on the future of connectivity across the Middle East and North Africa
8 November 2026, Doha: MWC26 Doha, held in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), opened today at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), bringing together the connectivity ecosystem to shape the next phase of growth for a mobile economy forecast to add $470 billion to the Middle East and North Africa by 2030.
MWC26 Doha officially opened today, in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs. His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, State of Qatar delivered a welcome address.
In his opening remarks, H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said: “The second edition of MWC Doha takes place at a time when the requirements of telecommunications infrastructure are undergoing fundamental change. As artificial intelligence advances towards executing tasks through intelligent agents, the need for more resilient networks and advanced computing capabilities continues to grow. At the same time, global challenges underscore the importance of diversifying connectivity routes and ensuring service continuity.”
GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath and ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin took to the stage for a fireside chat. Mr Badrinath set out the key priorities shaping the region’s connected future, with a continued commitment to global standards keeping networks and services interoperable across markets, as well as a renewed push to extend connectivity to populations that remain offline in MENA.
The fireside conversation also noted that, for the first time, the GSMA and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have uniquely come together in Qatar, co-locating two leading events at the DECC. MWC26 Doha takes place alongside the opening of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26), which is hosted by Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) on behalf of the State of Qatar. PP-26 is the principal governing body of the ITU, the UN agency for digital technologies. Held every four years, it serves as the highest decision-making body to determine ITU’s strategic and financial plans, elect its leadership, and set its overall direction.
Vivek Badrinath, Director General, GSMA, said: “Progress only counts if everyone shares in it. That means two things: global standards that keep networks, services and devices working across borders, and a concerted effort to connect the people who are still offline. Over the next three days, MWC Doha, alongside its co-location with ITU’s PP-26, will bring together the policy makers, innovators and industry leaders setting these standards and building these networks, to help make this vision a reality. As the ITU Plenipotentiary continues, we are confident that the enhanced dialog which our co-location has allowed will feed into the important conversations taking place.”
New GSMA reports examine MENA’s mobile growth and the race to profit from 5G
Launched at MWC Doha, the GSMA’s Mobile Economy MENA 2026 report charts how mobile connectivity is quickly becoming a core pillar of the region’s economic diversification, with some of the world’s most advanced 5G markets in the Gulf operating alongside large populations that remain offline. Insights include:
- Mobile technologies and services generated $380 billion of economic value across MENA in 2025, equivalent to 5.8% of regional GDP, forecast to reach $470 billion by 2030.
- The mobile ecosystem supported 2.2 million jobs and contributed $40 billion to public finances in 2025.
- 5G connections are set to rise from 9% of the region’s total in 2025 to 40% by 2030, with operators forecast to invest $88.9 billion over the same period.
- 48% of MENA’s population used mobile internet in 2025, while 49% remained offline despite living within coverage, highlighting the scale of the region’s usage gap.
Also published today, the 5G Monetisation MENA report examines how operators across the region are converting network investment into sustainable revenue as the industry’s focus shifts from rollout to monetisation.
- 17 of the region’s 24 markets had launched commercial 5G services by September 2026, with connections forecast to rise from 67 million in 2025 to almost 350 million by 2030.
- Operators are expected to invest a further $53 billion between 2026 and 2030 to expand coverage and deploy 5G standalone networks.
- Fixed wireless access is emerging as the clearest route to new consumer revenue, already available on around 64% of MENA’s commercial 5G networks.
MWC26 Doha continues through 10 November, with livestreamed keynote sessions available throughout the event. Daily updates, photography and video highlights are available via the MWC26 Doha Press Zone.
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About GSMA
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events. We invite you to find out more at gsma.com
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