MEA’s 2025 AI Leap And The shift towards Impact In 2026

Within just six months at NTT DATA, I got a front-row seat to rapid advancements in AI in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). In 2025, the MEA reached a clear turning point in its digital transformation. Artificial intelligence became part of everyday business operations, new infrastructure strengthened regional autonomy, and policy alignment gained momentum across governments and industries. These shifts signalled that the region had moved beyond experimentation. The focus now is on turning technological maturity into measurable impact.

This transition is something I have felt personally. After nearly three decades in the industry, I am energised by how quickly AI and digital innovation are advancing in our region. Joining NTT DATA MEA has brought together my passion for technology with an opportunity to deliver impact at scale. Our global heritage, deep technical capability, and bold vision for AI position us to help clients across MEA turn ambition into meaningful outcomes. The conversations taking place across the region reinforce that sense of purpose. MEA is not only adopting new technology. It is helping to shape what the next decade of AI will look like.

How 2025 rewired MEA’s digital foundations

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 travelled through Europe or the United States before reaching local networks. This created unnecessary cost, latency, and dependency. The Continental Internet Exchange changes this pattern by keeping African data within the continent and laying the groundwork for stronger cloud ecosystems. With internet penetration still below 40 percent in 2024, 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. Nations building modern data centres and integrating renewable energy are preparing themselves for a more competitive and connected future.

When AI became part of the region’s operating fabric

2025 was also the year when AI moved from pilot projects into the operating core of organisations. Across MEA, 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 no longer theoretical. It is tangible, measurable, and increasingly essential.

Modern AI workloads require high computing power, low latency, and sustainable performance. Yet more than nine in ten executives say legacy systems still hold them back.

By virtualising and automating their IT environments, organisations across the region are simplifying complexity, scaling more effectively, and advancing their sustainability goals. At NTT DATA MEA, we are helping clients achieve this shift through secure, AI-infused infrastructure services designed to support both growth and resilience.

Policy as the new engine of competitiveness

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 no longer peripheral topics. They 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. Organisations that embed responsible practices early will be best placed to scale and collaborate.

Building resilience through sustainability and smarter infrastructure

The past year has shown that resilience must be designed, not assumed. Extreme weather, cyber risks, and supply chain disruptions highlighted the need for stronger, more adaptable systems. Across NTT DATA MEA’s work, we continue to embed sustainability and resilience metrics into digital transformation, from reducing data centre power usage to deploying greener, software-defined infrastructure. True resilience combines uptime, efficiency, and adaptability, especially in an unpredictable global environment.

The human advantage shaping MEA’s next decade

MEA’s young and dynamic workforce remains one of its greatest strengths. New roles in areas such as AI ethics, cloud security, immersive education, and digital agriculture are emerging rapidly. These opportunities are reshaping the regional job market. But the capability gap is also widening. Organisations that invest in upskilling, inclusion, and lifelong learning will be the ones that thrive. The real competitive advantage in 2026 will not come from faster algorithms, but from stronger ecosystems of talent supported by a culture of continuous learning.

2026 and the shift from ambition to disciplined execution

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 judgement with machine intelligence.

Technology is no longer the barrier. The work ahead is to develop the trust, capability, and operational discipline to use it responsibly and effectively.

At NTT DATA MEA, our mission is to help organisations convert digital potential into real performance. The coming year will test ambition and resilience, but it will also reward those who commit to disciplined, purposeful execution. I am excited to be part of this journey and to help shape the future of AI and digital innovation across our region.

This article was written by Hani Nofal, Executive, Head of Technology Solutions, NTT DATA Middle East and Africa