MEA’s AI leap and the shift towards disciplined, scalable impact in 2026

In 2025, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) reached a clear turning point in its digital transformation. Artificial intelligence (AI) became part of everyday business operations, new infrastructure strengthened regional autonomy, and policy alignment gained momentum across governments and industries. The focus now is on turning technological maturity into measurable impact.

One of the most significant changes in 2025 was the launch of the African Union’s Continental Internet Exchange.

For years, up to 80 percent of Africa’s internet traffic went through Europe or the United States before reaching local networks. This created unnecessary cost, latency and dependency.

The Exchange keeps African data within the continent and lays the groundwork for stronger cloud ecosystems. This development is essential for digital inclusion and economic growth. A parallel transformation unfolded in the Middle East. Countries invested heavily in sovereign clouds, subsea cable capacity and energy-efficient digital infrastructure.

These investments recognise a simple truth that now holds across MEA: computing power has become the foundation for research, innovation, and economic progress.

2025 was also the year when AI moved from pilot projects into the operating core of organisations.

Businesses used AI to strengthen cybersecurity, improve customer experience, optimise supply chains, and support more efficient energy management. In East Africa, for example, machine learning helped organisations improve logistics and agricultural planning. These cases show that AI’s value is tangible, measurable, and increasingly essential.

The G20 and B20 Summits in South Africa showed how central digital governance has become to economic strategy. Issues including responsible AI, data localisation and environmental accountability are now shaping trade, investment and cooperation.

For MEA markets, aligning with global standards is essential not only to attract capital but to build trust across borders. Policy has become a source of competitive strength.

MEA’s young and dynamic workforce remains one of its greatest strengths. Organisations that invest in upskilling, inclusion, and lifelong learning will be the ones that thrive. The real competitive advantage in 2026 will come from stronger ecosystems of talent supported by a culture of continuous learning.

MEA enters 2026 with powerful foundations: sovereign infrastructure, maturing AI frameworks and growing policy clarity. The challenge now is execution.

The organisations that succeed will focus on three priorities: scaling with purpose, building locally while competing globally, and combining human judgment with machine intelligence.

The writer is the Executive, Head of Technology Solutions, NTT DATA Middle East and Africa