Ooredoo Kuwait at 'Fintech 2026': Network Resilience and AI as Pillars to Enhance Kuwait's Investment Appeal

Ooredoo Kuwait, a company within the Ooredoo Group, participated as the strategic partner in the fifth edition of MoneyTech 2026, an annual summit organized by Al-Jarida newspaper that brings together leaders from the investment, business, and technology sectors, marking its second consecutive year of participation.

The summit’s opening session featured a dialogue with Abdulaziz Yaqoub Al-Babtain, CEO of Ooredoo Kuwait, focusing on building trust during times of crisis and investing in Kuwait’s digital future.

During the dialogue, Al-Babtain highlighted Ooredoo’s ability to sustain growth and maintain service continuity amid regional challenges, noting that service diversification, continuous planning, and investment in human capital have been the pillars of this performance.

He explained that the company is working in collaboration with government entities and sector partners to diversify international connectivity routes through terrestrial networks and submarine cables, commending the role of the government and the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) in supporting the stability of telecommunications services and protecting critical infrastructure. As the needs of Kuwait’s critical sectors evolved during the crisis, Ooredoo collaborated with these institutions to provide communication, hosting, and security solutions that support the continuity of their operations.

Al-Babtain stated, “A true partner is one who stands by you in the most difficult circumstances. This is the role Ooredoo has played in supporting the country’s critical sectors, a role we will continue to fulfill.”

This performance is reflected in the company’s achievements, as Ooredoo won the “Telecom Company of the Year” award at the Asian Telecom Awards in 2026 for the third consecutive year.

Speaking about the next phase, Al-Babtain emphasized that artificial intelligence (AI) lies at the core of Ooredoo’s strategy. Following the company’s announcement during the MoneyTech 2025 summit of launching Kuwait’s first sovereign AI-powered data center, Ooredoo Group’s partnership with NVIDIA is helping to expand these capabilities locally, support local applications, and enhance the company’s cybersecurity resilience amid evolving threats.

He viewed partnerships with major global technology companies and local institutions as the fastest way to deliver these capabilities, while ensuring knowledge transfer to local teams.

Al-Babtain said, “AI represents one of the most significant economic opportunities in the coming phase, and we aspire for Ooredoo to be a leading partner in enabling various sectors in Kuwait to leverage it. The value of our global partnerships lies in the opportunities they create for Kuwait and the national capabilities they help build.” He affirmed that network resilience and AI are two key pillars in enhancing Kuwait’s investment attractiveness.

Al-Babtain also addressed the knowledge and ambition of Kuwaiti youth, particularly in the fields of AI and cybersecurity. He explained that major companies like Ooredoo can open broader horizons for these talents by providing digital infrastructure, connecting innovators with real business opportunities, and supporting startups in transforming their ideas into scalable products.

He added, “The next Kuwaiti technological innovation to reach a global scale may come from a Kuwaiti youth waiting for the right opportunity, and it is our duty to ensure that opportunity.”

The MoneyTech 2026 summit was held on Sunday, November 1, at the St. Regis Kuwait hotel, bringing together 17 speakers across nine sessions. The fifth edition focused on investment and growth amid uncertainty, with discussions covering business continuity, deal-making in volatile markets, and strengthening Kuwait’s position as a destination for long-term capital.

The strategic partnership with Al-Jarida, now in its second year, is part of a broader portfolio of collaborations through which Ooredoo integrates its digital infrastructure with key players in the national economy. From Ooredoo Group’s partnership with NVIDIA in the field of artificial intelligence to its cooperation with government entities on critical infrastructure and national institutions supporting entrepreneurs, these partnerships converge to achieve a shared goal: transforming Kuwait’s digital readiness into sustainable economic value, thereby supporting the country’s progress toward realizing the “New Kuwait 2035” vision.