Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Nokia will establish an IP Excellence Centre in Egypt, strategically positioning the country as a hub for communications and information technology (IT) services. The agreement was signed during the Egypt-EU Investment Conference in Cairo, witnessed by Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly. The MoU involves the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), Telecom Egypt, and Nokia, aiming to expand Nokia’s operations in Egypt and enhance its innovation and export capabilities. The signing ceremony was also attended by Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology.
The collaboration will create an IP Excellence Centre in Egypt, making it a key IT services hub. Initially, the Centre will serve approximately 60 countries in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with plans to eventually expand to Europe and beyond, significantly boosting Egypt’s ICT services exports. Led by top Egyptian engineering talent, the Centre will focus on automating IP networks, advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI), and enhancing software development for Nokia’s SR Linux network operating system.
Dr. Amr Talaat stated, “Nokia’s growing footprint in Egypt, especially in export-driven areas, underscores the attractiveness of our ICT sector for global investments. With its skilled workforce and proven track record, Egypt is becoming a go-to destination for companies like Nokia seeking to expand their global delivery operations.”
Talaat added, “This strategic public-private partnership will enhance innovation, skill development, and research in network automation, solidifying Egypt’s position as a global hub for IT services. It will also contribute to the growth of Egypt’s digital exports, which reached $6.2 billion in 2023.”
Aligned with Egypt’s Digital Egypt Offshoring Strategy, the collaboration aims to increase digital exports and create job opportunities for Egyptian youth. Ahmed ElZaher, CEO of ITIDA, emphasized the strategic significance of this partnership in advancing Egypt’s digital ecosystem and offshoring exports.
“This MoU empowers our engineers with expertise in cutting-edge technologies, driving Egypt to the forefront of the digital future and boosting our offshoring capabilities. Nokia will not only leverage Egypt as a regional hub for automating IP networks and evolving AI and software development but will also equip local talent with the necessary skills to deploy and manage advanced network technologies.”
Under the MoU, Nokia plans to hire and train Egyptian engineers, expanding its workforce in Automation Solutions Architecture, DevOps, and Data Science. These engineers will play key roles in the IP Excellence Centre in Egypt.
Vach Kompella, Nokia’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of IP Networks, said, “The establishment of the IP Excellence Centre marks a significant milestone in our three-decade-long association with Egypt and will play a crucial role in advancing the country’s digital infrastructure. It will help us leverage the skills of local talent to cater to the evolving needs of enterprises in the ME region. Additionally, it presents an unmatched opportunity for the selected engineers to receive training in the latest IP technologies and become part of Nokia’s best-in-class global team.”
Mohamed Nasr Eldin, Telecom Egypt’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, mentioned, “We are delighted by this collaboration between ITIDA, Telecom Egypt, and Nokia to build the cutting-edge IP Excellence Centre in the country. Network automation is the future, and working closely with the global technology leader, Nokia, will enable Egypt to grow its profile in the global digital ecosystem. We are looking forward to working with ITIDA and Nokia on this crucial initiative to enhance our offshoring sector and increase our ICT services exports.”
Telecom Egypt will support this initiative by providing a joint Nokia/TE lab for hands-on field training, supporting both Nokia’s offshoring capabilities and Telecom Egypt engineers. Each year, Telecom Egypt will nominate local engineers to be trained and certified by Nokia on advanced IP technology, further bolstering the skillset of local talent.
By establishing the IP Excellence Centre, ITIDA, Telecom Egypt, and Nokia aim to play a pivotal role in fostering innovation, skills development, and research in network automation, while thriving in Egypt’s offshoring business. The Centre will serve as a hub for knowledge exchange, empowering local talent with the expertise needed to deploy and manage advanced network technologies, thus significantly boosting Egypt’s ICT services exports.
