Zain Syria
New mobile operator that Kuwait's Zain Group is setting up in Syria after winning a 25-year licence with a USD 747 million bid. Zain will hold 75 percent and a Syrian government entity 25 percent.
Industry: Mobile telecommunications | Location: Syria | Founded: 2026
About Zain Syria
Zain Syria is the new mobile operator established by the Kuwaiti telecoms group Zain after it won a licence to run a national mobile network in Syria. Zain will own 75 per cent of the operating company. The remaining 25 per cent goes to a Syrian government entity, which Bloomberg- and Reuters-sourced reporting identified as the country's new sovereign wealth fund; Zain's own statement refers only to a government entity. Zain won a competitive tender run by Syria's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology with a bid of USD 747 million. The licence runs for 25 years, structured as an initial 20-year term with a five-year extension. In addition to the licence fee, the company says it will invest more than USD 800 million over the next decade to modernize the network, with a focus on 5G, AI-powered digital services and improved quality and capacity, financed from the Syrian operation's own resources. Syria's telecoms regulator puts the total value of the project above USD 1.5 billion, and early build phases target more than 98 per cent population coverage. The operator will take over the infrastructure, premises and equipment of MTN Syria, the South African-owned operator whose Syrian business was wound down, covering about 6.3 million existing subscribers. A six-month transition period, during which MTN Syria's team keeps running day-to-day operations, is meant to avoid service disruption. Reports linked the earlier licensing process to the resolution of a dispute over ownership of 75 per cent of MTN Syria's shares. Zain's vice chairman and group chief executive, Bader Al-Kharafi, met Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Damascus and described the move as more than a business expansion, saying the company would emphasize knowledge transfer, local capacity building and talent development. Zain's immediate focus is completing regulatory procedures and transferring operational assets. The commercial launch of the Zain Syria brand is targeted for the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory and licence conditions. The operator will compete with the state-linked incumbent Syriatel. Coverage described the deal as one of the largest foreign investment commitments announced since the fall of the Assad government in December 2024.
Leadership
- Bader al-Kharafi, Vice chairman and chief executive, Zain (parent)