e& adds fixed broadband to its Europe stack-

e& has strengthened its hand in Europe after O2 Slovakia — part of e& PPF Telecom, e&’s JV with Prague-based PPF — agreed to acquire fixed broadband operator UPC Slovakia from parent Liberty Global for EUR 95 mn, according to an ADX disclosure (pdf). The acquisition gives O2 a nationwide fixed footprint and pushes e& further into bundled connectivity in Europe, where competition increasingly favors convergence over mobile alone — while adding EUR-linked revenue.

By the numbers: UPC serves around 170k customers, generates roughly EUR 47 mn in annual revenue, and has a network passing approximately 647k homes nationwide.

Zooming out: As we’ve been reporting, e& has been stitching together a digital corridor linking MENA with the Balkans and Central Europe, from data center expansion in Serbia to partnerships in Hungary and the acquisition of Serbia Broadband earlier this year.

AD Ports goes vertical in Pakistan, expands into last-mile

AD Ports linked up with Pakistan’s CEI Supply Chain on a new joint venture that is set to boost the South Asian nation’s inland logistics operations and allows it to compete with active freight players in the country. The Emirati player will own 51% of the JV, which will be consolidated under AD Ports Group by 1Q 2026.

Until now, AD Ports only operated in Pakistan’s maritime sector, signing a 25-yearconcession agreement in 2024 for a bulk and general cargo terminal at Karachi Port, along with dredging works. The firm is also working to establish an industrial zone near Karachi and Qasim ports.

It had laid the groundwork for inland expansion: AD Ports Group’s Maqta Technologies and Pakistan’s PSW — in collaboration with Pakistan’s Customs Services — partnered earlier this year to strengthen Pakistan’s single window systems. The newly minted JV can leverage this, layering CEI’s network on top of its Maqta operations, coupled with its newly established Islamabad representative office.

Tecom doubles down on Grade A supply as Dubai office crunch deepens

Tecom Group has launched the fourth phase of Innovation Hub at Dubai Internet City, committing AED 615 mn to add 263k sq ft of Grade A office space as demand continues to outpace supply, according to a press release (pdf). Phase 4 follows the full pre-leasing of Phase 3 ahead of its scheduled 2027 completion.

The move is timely: Dubai’s office market has remained tight through 2025. Average office rents rose 35% y-o-y and 4.5% q-o-q in 3Q 2025, according to Savills. Demand remained anchored in technology-led sectors, which accounted for nearly 30% of leasing activity in 3Q. New supply has been limited, and roughly 1 mn sq ft of space due by early next year is already largely pre-leased, keeping pressure on availability in established business districts like Dubai Internet City.

ADQ, Gates Foundation launch USD 40 mn fund for AI in Africa-

Abu Dhabi’s ADQ is partnering up with the Gates Foundation on a USD 40 mn AI-focused education fund for sub-Saharan Africa, according to a statement. The move comes as Africa is on track to be home to one-third of the world’s youth population by 2050, the statement read.

The four-year agreement will see the two roll out two programs. AI for Education provides machine learning insights to governments, and the Ed Tech and AI Fund will start launching EdTech and AI tools on a national level next year.

Tags: