Kuwait’s government signs $2.7 billion fixed telecom deal to power digital economy
In a major move to advance its digital economy, Kuwait’s government has signed a $2.7 billion agreement with Bahrain’s Beyon Group to develop and operate the country’s national fixed telecommunications network. The landmark deal was advised on by Tri International Consulting Group and Oliver Wyman.
According to Omar Al-Omar, Minister of State for Communication Affairs, the fixed telecommunications network development project represents a long-term national investment that supports Kuwait’s digital future, a key pillar of the New Kuwait 2035 vision.
The project will help ensure that the fixed telecommunications network serves as the backbone of future digital services, including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, smart cities, advanced government services, and the broader transition to a technology-driven knowledge economy.
With a value of $2.7 billion, the agreement ranks among Kuwait’s largest strategic partnerships in the digital infrastructure sector.
The project is being led by the Ministry of Communications and the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects, which conducted a competitive tender process to select the best external partner for the mega public-private partnership (PPP) agreement. Beyon Group, the parent company of several telecommunications, ICT, and digital transformation businesses in Bahrain – including Batelco, Beyon Cyber, and Beyon Solutions – was selected as the winning bidder.
During the signing ceremony, Al-Omar described Beyon as a “leader in the field and a partner with regional expertise in telecommunications and digital infrastructure management.”
Mishal Al-Zaid, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Communications, described the initiative as a comprehensive re-engineering of Kuwait’s fixed telecommunications network, transitioning it to an independent, professionally managed infrastructure platform capable of meeting the country’s digital growth requirements for decades to come.
He also highlighted that Beyon was selected following a rigorous evaluation process, citing the company’s extensive expertise in fibre-optic networks and structural separation models.
The advisors
Both Al-Omar and Al-Zaid also took the opportunity to thank the government project team that led the successful tender process and will oversee the next phases of the programme, as well as external advisors that provided strategic, technical, and legal support.
Among the project’s advisors were Oliver Wyman, one of the world’s leading strategy and management consulting firms, and Tri International Consulting Group, a joint venture between Oliver Wyman, the Kuwait Investment Authority (Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund), and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (an international development institution).
Joel Ghosn, CEO of Tri International Consulting Group and Partner in Oliver Wyman’s Government and Public Institutions practice, said: “We are proud to have supported the Ministry of Communications and the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects in bringing this strategic initiative to fruition.”
The winner: Beyon
Commenting on the win, Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Chairman of Beyon Group, said that the company is proud to have secured such a strategic project in support of Kuwait’s future. He affirmed Beyon Group’s commitment to leveraging its technical and operational expertise to build a world-class national network that supports Kuwait’s long-term ambitions and strengthens its position as a regional hub for technology and innovation.
“Beyon Group has extensive experience in fibre-optic network projects across Bahrain, Jordan, the Maldives, and the Channel Islands, providing services to more than 2.2 million residential units. We look forward to delivering this project.”
Benefits for Kuwaitis
Alongside the benefits of a state-of-the-art fixed telecommunications network, the Ministry of Communications has ensured through its agreements with Beyon Group that the project will generate meaningful economic value for Kuwait’s domestic economy. For example, one of the key principles embedded in the public-private partnership is that at least 65% of jobs within the project company – which will lead local delivery – will be allocated to Kuwaiti nationals.
In addition, Kuwaiti citizens will be able to participate in future public share offerings of the project company, with 50% of the company’s shares set to be floated on the public market.
