For countries aiming to ride the wave of digital transformation, maximising the opportunity means harnessing a number of intertwining trends. In Iraq, some companies are making tracks to help the country catch up with other Gulf nations and drive low-latency pathways between regions by pursuing several strands of the digital journey at once.
One of these is ISP Supercell Network, owned by SCN Holding, a group specialising in different verticals headquartered in Iraq and the UAE, with an additional presence in the US. This January, SCN signed a strategic partnership deal with global investment firm Otaiba Investments to accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure in Iraq, as well as the UAE and the wider Middle East.
In Iraq, the two companies will focus on expanding fibre networks and data centre capacity to support advanced services, as well as developing new platforms for cloud computing, AI and IoT tailored to the needs of enterprises and government entities. In addition, Supercell hopes the momentum created by the partnership will help to attract international and local investors, supporting Iraq’s vision of becoming a regional digital hub.
“With moves like this, we’re working to optimise the digital transformation and preparing our infrastructure for the era of AI,” says Ehab Hussein, an executive board member at Supercell. “We also want to help coordinate development with local and global partners.”
Main pillars
One pillar of the partnership with Otaiba Investments is the construction of a transit route through Iraq that will connect the Gulf with Europe via Turkey. The aim is to complete the rollout in less than 18 months, serving as an attractive alternative terrestrial pathway to the Red Sea.
“From the Middle East and Far East to Europe, lots of people are looking at the Iraqi route because it can provide the shortest and lowest-latency pathway,” says Hussein. “The wider Gulf region is also booming, with developments in AI, smart cities and data transit. Our plan is to build a mesh network that can deal well with multiple issues like environmental impacts and fibre cuts.”
At the same time, this will complement the fibre-to-the-home network that Supercell has been rolling out in Iraq for residential and business users, today passing more than 2 million properties with high-speed connectivity.
As a further pillar of the deal with Otaiba Investments, Supercell plans to rapidly expand its data centre footprint in Iraq. “The data centre business is huge worldwide, but Iraq is still a very young market in this respect,” says Hussein. “We’re therefore seeking to help the country catch up with the rhythm of development and AI growth in the Gulf region.”
Green and inclusive
He sees the pathway ahead for Supercell as an exciting one, especially as regulations are becoming more flexible in Iraq to cater for digital growth. But Hussein emphasises that with potential rapid expansion of infrastructure and traction among customers ahead, the company has also set its sights firmly on green, sustainable and inclusive transformation.
On the environmental front, for example, Supercell is looking into power options such as solar panels to capture the high levels of sunlight in Iraq and building data centres near hydroelectric power plants. “We’re also working in parallel with hyperscalers to deepen understanding of the environment and carbon emissions,” adds Hussein.
Furthermore, the company has a big focus on inclusion of women in the business and on its role in the community, building education and awareness platforms to promote community responsibility and accessible digital learning. This goes hand in hand with its focus on customer-centricity through means such as having its own customer-experience centre.
Built on these foundations, Hussein expects Supercell to thrive in the next phase of its digital development. “One of the key success pillars for Supercell is our investment in people and expert teams,” he says. “That’s how we’ve built our reputation with vendors and technology partners, and are able to execute both in line with standards and a fast timeframe.”
