A Dubai-based fintech milestone: Airtel Money has priced its initial public offering at $2.6 per share, implying an estimated market capitalisation of $7 billion, for its listing on the London Stock Exchange. The move marks the next step in the separation of the mobile money business from parent company Airtel Africa, and holds wider significance for Gulf markets and the region’s growing fintech footprint.
The Middle East business landscape continues to evolve at pace. The first day of Fintech Forward 2026, programmed by Forbes Middle East, also brought together UK and Swiss fintech companies to showcas
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have signed a memorandum of understanding to connect their electricity grids, expand cross-border power trading and establish rail links between the two countries. Agreed in Riyadh, the deal extends Gulf cooperation across energy, transport and logistics, and signals a regional market that is becoming easier to move power, goods and investment across.
Egypt has signed a $202.2bn agreement with Talaat Moustafa Group for four mixed-use projects spanning residential, industrial and coastal development, plus 200,000 rental homes with the Tahya Misr Fund.
Saudi-listed Arabian Drilling has signed a four-year, $532.5 million contract with Khafji Joint Operations to supply four high-specification offshore jack-up drilling rigs. The award, the largest single offshore drilling mandate KJO has placed with the company, lifts Arabian Drilling’s backlog to approximately $4.8 billion and points to sustained investment across the Gulf’s energy sector, where drilling contractors with modern fleets are winning the longest contracts. Here is a closer look at the deal and what it signals for drilling activity in the region.
The Gulf region continues to demonstrate its growing prominence in the global business landscape. Dubai identifies more than 40 areas for shared housing under new regulatory framework – Emirates 24|7
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are preparing to cooperate with Asian governments on a framework to expand crude oil stockpiling across the region. Under the plan, reported by Nikkei and carried by Forbes Middle East, Japan is expected to provide financial assistance and expertise in oil-storage systems, building on a leasing model that already hosts Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in Japanese tanks. The initiative reflects a renewed focus on energy security across Asia after a turbulent year for global oil flows, and it could deepen Gulf ties with eleven partner countries across the region.
SoftBank Group has raised $11.1 billion through dollar and euro bond issues to fund its multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI, drawing strong investor appetite and sending its Tokyo-listed shares sharply higher.
The Middle East business landscape continues to evolve at pace. Oman’s economy grew 5.1% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, as petroleum activitie
The Middle East business landscape continues to evolve at pace. Modon Holding has launched phase one of Wadeem Gardens, a villa community on Hudayriyat Island and the first in Abu Dhabi to offer up to
