Beyon signs deal for Kuwait’s fixed telecom network; $2.6bn investment seen

Beyon has signed a Public Private Partnership (PPP) commitment agreement with Kuwait’s Ministry of Communications and the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) that formalises the company as the Winning Investor for the Fixed Telecommunications Network Development Project. The agreement, signed at the Government Communication Center of the Council of Ministers, commits more than KWD825 million ($2.666 billion) of investment over a 50‑year partnership term to design, finance, build, operate and maintain Kuwait’s fixed telecommunications network under a new specialised wholesale infrastructure company.

"The agreement represents a pivotal stage in the development of Kuwait’s national digital infrastructure and reflects the State’s direction toward building a modern telecommunications network that supports the digital economy and enhances Kuwait’s readiness for future technological developments," said Omar Saud Al‑Omar, Kuwait Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Information and Culture.

Project scope and contractual details

• The commitment agreement was signed by Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Beyon Chairman; Eng Mishal Al‑Zaid, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Communications; and Asma Al‑Mousa, Acting Director General at KAPP, in the presence of senior officials including Dr Yaqoub Al‑Sayed Yousef Al‑Rifai, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Public Private Partnership Projects, and Salah Ali Al‑Maliki, Ambassador of Bahrain to Kuwait.
• The project is described as a comprehensive re‑engineering of Kuwait’s national telecommunications network, including development of the last‑mile access network, modernisation of transport and backhaul networks, deployment of Next Generation Network (NGN) systems and the gradual decommissioning of the legacy copper network.
• Beyon and the Project Company have committed to provide high‑speed fiber connectivity to 90 percent of plots within the first five years and to enable symmetrical speeds of up to 10Gbps, aimed at supporting cloud services, artificial intelligence, smart cities and advanced digital government services.
• The project will be financed and developed by the Project Company and "will not impose a financial burden on Kuwait," according to the agreement; public sector entities will retain shareholding and Kuwaiti citizens will be offered the opportunity to participate through a public offering of 50 percent of the Project Company’s shares after full operational commencement.
• Officials highlighted economic and social benefits including specialised employment opportunities for Kuwaiti nationals and the transfer of operational know‑how through an advanced PPP model.
• Beyon was selected following "a comprehensive technical, financial, and legal evaluation process involving competition among regional and international specialised companies and consortiums," Eng Mishal Al‑Zaid said, with advisory support from Tri International Consulting Group (TICG), Kamco Invest and Al Tamimi & Company.

Outlook

Dr Yaqoub Al‑Rifai described the initiative as "a strategic initiative that reflects the success of the public‑private partnership model in attracting high‑quality investments with long‑term economic and developmental impact," signalling strong state backing for the project’s objectives. Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said Beyon is proud to partner with Kuwait and will "leverage its technical and operational expertise to develop an advanced national network that supports Kuwait’s future ambitions," framing the deal as a milestone in regional digital infrastructure cooperation.