Zain and Ooredoo Combine 4,000 Towers in Regional Infrastructure Deal

Mobile Telecommunications Company K.S.P.C. (“Zain Group ”; ticker: ZAIN) and Ooredoo Q.P.S.C.  (“Ooredoo”; ticker: ORDS) announced the first closing of their regional tower transaction, bringing together the initial tower portfolios within a regional tower platform jointly owned by Zain Group and Ooredoo Group , each holding a 50% stake.

The first closing combines the tower assets of Zain Kuwait (ITK) and Ooredoo Qatar (Al Abraj) within the platform. Together, these portfolios comprise approximately 4,000 towers.

The transaction is expected to create significant value through greater scale, capital efficiencies and a dedicated operating model focused on passive telecommunications infrastructure. As it expands, the tower platform will support the delivery of infrastructure-as-a-service, creating opportunities for operators to access infrastructure in a more capital-efficient manner while supporting the continued development of the region’s digital infrastructure.

Additional tower portfolios are expected to be integrated progressively into the platform, subject to applicable closing conditions and required regulatory and other approvals.

“This first closing of the tower platform marks a defining step in the evolution of digital infrastructure for both Zain and Ooredoo. It reflects our shared strategy of creating focused, scalable and sustainable platforms that unlock greater value from our assets while supporting the reduction of the region’s carbon footprint. We believe this tower platform will play an increasingly important role in strengthening our respective digital foundations and enabling the next wave of connectivity, innovation and economic growth for the communities we proudly serve. We thank the regulatory authorities in Kuwait for their visionary support in the approval process. Completing this first closing marks an important milestone in building a regional tower platform designed to create significant value, with a clear path to expansion through additional market contributions.”

– Bader Al-Kharafi, Vice-Chairman & Group CEO, Zain 

“With this milestone, we are now executing across every digital infrastructure segment identified in our strategy as we continue building a leading regional portfolio. We thank the State of Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority and the Ministry of Municipality for their support and for contributing to a conducive regulatory environment throughout the approval process.”

– Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo, Group Chief Executive Officer, Ooredoo Group

Ooredoo and Zain will retain their respective active telecommunications infrastructure, including the technology, software and intellectual property required to operate and manage their telecommunications networks.