The ICT sector is entering a new phase following more than a decade of conflict that disrupted infrastructure and constrained network expansion and digitalisation. As Syrians return and reconstruction gathers pace, there is an opportunity to modernise telecommunications infrastructure and expand digital services access. Strengthening connectivity will be an important foundation for economic recovery, supporting businesses, public services and wider digitalisation. The government has opened the doors to private investment and aims to establish the country as a major digital destination between Asia and Europe. The predominantly young demographic is expected to drive innovation, with training programmes helping to develop a highly skilled workforce to support digitalisation efforts.
Structure & Oversight
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCT) is the government body that oversees the ICT sector, headed by Abdul Salam Haykal who has been key in modernising the sector. The MoCT is responsible for policy development and for attracting private investment to the telecoms market. The Syrian Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority is responsible for establishing sectoral regulations, licensing and setting technical standards. It ensures that internet service provision aligns with the government’s telecommunications strategy. The government-owned Syrian Telecommunications Company (SyTC), established in 2010 as the successor to the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment, is the primary fixed-line operator and wholesale provider. SyTC is focused on expanding its infrastructure as part of a broader reconstruction strategy.
With substantial investment required to develop a robust fibre-optic network, the MoCT is increasingly turning to the private sector. The establishment of more public-private partnerships (PPPs) in telecoms is expected to speed recovery and network expansion. Private sector participation can also bring technical expertise and operational capacity alongside the capital required for large-scale network projects. This approach is particularly relevant as operators seek to expand coverage while upgrading infrastructure to support higher data volumes and newer technologies.
The government unveiled the SilkLink Fibre Optic Cable Project in 2025 to construct a 4500-km fibre-optic cable with a capacity of 100 terabits per second across Syria, officially partnering with the private sector for its execution in 2026. In February 2026, the Saudi Telecom Company was awarded the contract to implement the project’s infrastructure, with investment expected to exceed $800m, in partnership with the Syrian Sovereign Fund. The network will connect Asia and Europe via submarine landing stations and contact points in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.
Investor Sentiment
The Kuwait-founded Zain Group announced in July that Syria had awarded it a 25-year licence (20 years plus an extendible five years) for its $747m bid to operate a mobile telecom network in the country. Zain currently operates in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, serving over 51m customers. The deal with Zain, the largest in Syria’s telecoms sector since the war, points to growing confidence in the country’s investment prospects and future growth. The firm will hold a 75% stake in the business, with the government holding the remaining 25%. It hopes to launch operations in early 2027, taking over MTN’s lines and 6.3m customer base. Zain is expected to invest over $800m in the expansion and modernisation of the network, with a focus on 5G and artificial intelligence technologies, aiming for 98% population coverage in the early phase of operations.
Global Standards
The facilitation of the return to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association, the advocacy and lobbying organisation for the mobile communications industry, by the MoCT ensures that Syrian operators align operations with global standards and have access to the latest interoperability frameworks. As of mid-2026 the government was currently working closely with international organisations and regional powers to support its reconstruction efforts. Neighbouring Jordan signed an infrastructure deal with Syria in 2025 to supply high-speed internet capacity and international bandwidth via the Nassib/ Jaber border corridor. The agreement directly links the SyTC to data hubs in Aqaba, helping to stabilise Syria’s digital network. While many regional reconstruction pledges remain in the preliminary memorandum of understanding (MoU) phase, the telecommunications sector has seen definitive progress. Most notably, Saudi Arabia’s stc Group signed a binding $800 million joint-venture agreement to construct the country’s backbone 5G-ready fibre infrastructure and specialised data centres via the SilkLink project.
The government has also partnered with the Saudi firm Cipher to improve its cybersecurity. Cybersecurity and data protection are key to the digital recovery and expansion plan. As with many countries experiencing protracted conflict, Syria’s electrical, water and communication infrastructure remains vulnerable to cyber threats, highlighting the need for targeted investment in cybersecurity. The 2024 Electronic Personal Data Protection Law (which officially took effect in January 2025) focuses on protecting users’ data while establishing a framework for greater oversight of how personal information is collected, stored, and processed. Effective implementation, including clear compliance requirements and institutional capacity for enforcement, could help build trust in digital services while supporting wider adoption of online platforms as the sector continues to develop.
Size & Performance
The expansion of telecommunications networks and the digitalisation of services are key to rehabilitation and economic growth. However, according to World Bank data, around 66% of the population still lacks internet access, meaning room for growth is ample. Nevertheless, the government has invested heavily in the ICT sector and is welcoming private participation to accelerate recovery and expansion efforts. The restoration of damaged telecoms infrastructure in urban centres and the participation of diaspora populations in Syria’s phone and internet market are supporting growth. The mobile network operator (MNO) market was expected to reach $386m in 2026 and grow to $437m by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5% between 2026 and 2031. Operators have prioritised establishing 4G coverage in urban centres, including Damascus, Aleppo and Homs, with over 65% of mobile internet traffic coming from these cities. This investment has increased the median mobile download speed to 26.4 Mbps, providing a stronger foundation for the expansion of data-intensive services and allowing operators to reposition plans around data volume rather than voice minutes.
The MNO market size in the Damascus metropolitan area is estimated at almost $149m, serving a population of 6m, as well as commuter traffic. In addition to redeveloping infrastructure, operators face consumer affordability pressures, as household purchasing power remains constrained. However, prepaid voice and low-tier data bundles are attracting user volumes, supported by financing from diaspora populations. Nevertheless, mobile operators struggle to keep operations profitable while ensuring connectivity to low-income consumers. “The average revenue per user is under $2, while connecting a new user can cost over $14 – so each addition is technically loss-making,” Murid Atassi, CEO of Syrian MNO Syriatel, told OBG. “Consumers want low prices and policymakers often support that, but expecting nationwide 4G and a 5G transition under current tariffs is unsustainable,” he said.
In 2025 voice services were the most popular service type, with 45.5% of the MNO market. However, as infrastructure improves, uptake of data services is increasing rapidly, pointing to a gradual shift in the market towards higher-value digital consumption, with an anticipated 2.6% CAGR for non-voice services between 2026 and 2031. With remittances contributing an estimated 9% of GDP, the diaspora is supporting family members living in Syria by investing in cross-border communication. The most popular products are mid-range Android devices, with users investing more in higher-tier data allotments. There is also high demand for international calling and roaming packages. Consumers currently dominate the MNO market, contributing 77.6% of operator revenue, while enterprise accounts account for 22.4%. However, the enterprise segment is forecast to expand at a 2.9% CAGR through 2031. The demand for services is shifting in line with infrastructure recovery and rapid urbanisation. People living in urban areas are increasingly relying on mobile data to access entertainment platforms, driving double-digit growth in average monthly mobile data consumption. This demand has encouraged operators to launch packages offering more data and video services at a higher fixed cost.
Infrastructure Challenges
Sanctions imposed under the Assad regime long limited foreign telecoms participation and financing; their recent lifting is expected to encourage greater investment and competition in the sector. Damage to transmission infrastructure poses a major challenge for telecoms operators, as the national power grid has an average availability of around 60%, which falls to as low as 40% in rural areas. This has led operators to invest in diesel generators, batteries and small-scale solar sites. Intermittent power affects download speeds and other services, which has caused many users to complain.
Addressing the power problem will require national energy reforms and investment in transmission infrastructure. Coastal governorates are better connected than some other regions thanks to the undersea cables running from both Cyprus and Egypt to the Syrian city of Tartous. Network coverage is patchier in Syria’s central and north-eastern regions, which were affected by conflict, while the rural highlands have the slowest connectivity; just half of villages can access 3G networks.
Labour Force
Syria’s young workforce – the median age is 23, against an unemployment rate of around 13.6%, according to International Labour Organisation data – offers potential for ICT skills development. As the government encourages greater private sector participation, investing in academic and technical training could help boost ICT capacity and drive economic growth. Training initiatives are also under way to build ICT capacity, including a 2026 technology bootcamp at Homs University’s ICT incubator and the MoCT’s Smart Society project, launched in December 2025 to support youth-led tech initiatives and develop digital skills.
Mobile
Syria operates under a government-controlled telecommunications framework. The mobile market is dominated by Syriatel and the former MTN network, which is currently being transitionally managed by Kuwait’s Zain Group ahead of its official commercial rebrand as Zain Syria. SyTC manages the country’s fixed networks and backbone infrastructure, with mobile services. There was significant damage during the war, including the destruction of towers and the damage to fibre routes. Approximately SP6.9bn ($552,000) in armoured and unarmoured cables and SP3.2bn ($256,000) worth of suspended cables were damaged, mainly across Aleppo, Deir ez Zor and rural Homs.
As part of wider reconstruction efforts, the ministry is working to phase out 2G technology quickly, wind down 3G, and redouble its focus on 4G and 5G in the coming years, Abdul Salam Haykal, the minister of communications and IT, told OBG. “I expect to see full roaming compatibility restored with regional networks, commercial eSIM onboarding available for consumers and at least one operator moving ahead with 5G pilots in dense urban zones,” Haykal added.
Syriatel will be a major contributor to expansion plans, with aims to double the number of its radio sites from 4500 in 2025 to 9000 in 2030, the company’s CEO, Murid Atassi, told OBG. Atassi said that achieving acceptable coverage and performance could cost $700m, which no single operator can afford, making co-investment with regional players essential. “A few years ago, 70% of revenue came from voice and 30% from data; now that ratio has flipped entirely, which shows just how hungry the market is for internet services,” Atassi added to OBG.
Mobile operators are racing to expand their networks as millions of Syrians return to the country. Approximately 1.7m Syrians have returned, according to data from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, with most recorded returns concentrated in Damascus, Idlib, Aleppo, Damascus Countryside, Homs, Hama and Daraa. In addition, over 2m internally displaced persons returned to their areas of origin in Syria after the change in political power in December 2024. As of April 2026 the population is estimated at 27.9m.
As Syrians return to previously out-of-reach areas, such as Idlib and rural Aleppo, the trend has suddenly added active users across national networks, Atassi told OBG. In addition, major cities that were already covered are now becoming overstretched. “Damascus, for example, was engineered initially for around 5m users, but today it serves closer to 7m, so the network is weak and in need of upgrades,” Atassi explained.
More broadly, the government has stressed the need to accelerate infrastructure development, suggested it is pursuing greater operator diversity, and highlighted that US and EU export controls have previously presented a barrier to the development of its telecoms sector. The MoCT announced the launch of an international Request for Applications for a new MNO licence at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, opening the bidding process to international telecoms operators. The licence will replace the existing MTN Syria licence. However, MTN will continue to operate and serve its subscribers during a six-month transition period to avoid service interruption. The licence includes spectrum allocation in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3500-MHz bands and authorises the deployment of advanced mobile broadband and 5G technologies. It also makes Syria the first country to include the 6-GHz band in its mobile operator licensing roadmap, as it strives to become a digital leader in the MENA region.
Network Expansion & Upgrade
The MoCT is attracting private funding to support the rapid recovery of the telecoms network and encourage extensive expansion across the country and beyond. “The vision is that every mobile user should have 100 Mbps in their hand, and every household should be able to access one-gigabit broadband,” Haykal told OBG. As Syria undertakes a broad modernisation of its telecoms network, the MoCT has an opportunity to develop Syria into a major destination for technology and innovation, unlocking opportunities for private investment, infrastructure development and long-term market growth.
The government has launched a strategy to transform the country into a “Digital Silk Road” – a modern extension of the historic Silk Road, with plans to construct the 4500-km fibre-optic backbone known as SilkLink. The digital route will connect major cities, such as Damascus, to the coast, with plans to extend connectivity to Asia and Europe. The MoCT anticipates a total investment of between $400m and $500m, to be financed through an investment concession in which capital is recovered over time by selling transit capacity.
“Around 17% of global traffic now passes through the Red Sea, which has effectively become a single point of failure,” Haykal told OBG. “By landing on the Mediterranean and crossing south through Jordan into Saudi Arabia, you connect almost directly to the Gulf and Indian Ocean cable systems. That shortens the route by around 6000 km, which saves 30-35 milliseconds of latency – critical for gaming, voice calls, trading, robotics and even remote surgery.”
The project will commence with the installation of Syria’s first submarine cable, following an agreement signed by Medusa Submarine Cable System with Syria Telecom to develop the link. With its strategic location on the eastern Mediterranean coast via a landing point in Tartous, it will serve as a new low-latency digital corridor. There are also plans to establish switching centres in Palmyra and in the eastern and southern regions. The government has also launched the Ugarit 2 project, which is expected to double internet capacity, and the BarqNet Initiative, which aims to achieve 85% fibre-to-the-home coverage by 2027.
The World Bank wrote off the $15m in arrears owed by Syria in 2025 to unlock funding for a 1500-km fibre-optic network connecting governorate capitals, which is expected to boost backhaul capacity by 70%. It will also reduce latency, decrease leased-line costs and enable nationwide 4G expansion. The World Bank-financed backbone reconstruction is expected to commence in 2028. It should extend high-capacity networks to Latakia, Daraa and Deir ez Zor, thereby reducing the digital divide by 2030.
Internet
The government aims to overhaul the internet network, attract foreign investment, increase market competition and expand services to establish Syria as a leading technology centre in the region. The percentage of the population using the internet increased from just 2% in 2002 to 24% in 2012 and 34% in 2018. However, connectivity has remained limited due to over a decade of conflict, which damaged infrastructure and thwarted expansion efforts. Meanwhile, the number of sector internet servers rose from 24 in 2012 to 810 in 2024, which is far lower than the global average of over 16,000 per 1m people in 2024. As Syria redevelops and expands its digital infrastructure, the government must place significant focus on cybersecurity. Digital infrastructure is highly vulnerable to attack after years of underinvestment, leaving national cybersecurity capabilities insufficient to protect even basic systems.
In June 2025 the Ministry of Information reported a cyberattack targeting government websites and social media accounts. News outlets blamed the attack on the remnants of the Assad regime, although no perpetrator was identified. Nonetheless, it exposed weaknesses in the country’s cybersecurity. “Cybersecurity today is less about blocking content or surveillance and more about protecting citizen data, infrastructure and financial systems,” Haykal told OBG. “The principle is security without stifling innovation or entry from global providers.”
The government signed a strategic cooperation agreement in July 2025 with the Saudi cybersecurity firm Cipher to redevelop Syria’s cyber architecture and establish a national institution to train a new workforce. “Cybersecurity is now treated as one of the most critical aspects of operations for both telecoms companies and government entities,” Syriatel’s Atassi told OBG. The approach to cybersecurity has shifted to protecting corporate and consumer data. “Operators have trained staff extensively and invested in new security systems and applications to harden their networks,” he said.
Syria also faced physical sabotage when the undersea cable connecting Tartous with Egypt’s Alexandria stopped working in June 2026. Syriatel was forced to reroute internet traffic to the Ugarit Cable System, a 239-km undersea cable connecting Tartous to Pentaskhinos in Cyprus, until it could reconnect the Tartous-Alexandria link. This demonstrates the importance of expansion and diversification to prevent unexpected and lengthy interruptions to connectivity.
Tech Development
As part of plans to establish Syria as a key connectivity gateway, the government is encouraging private investment and the establishment of PPPs in the telecoms sector. It also welcomes innovation, particularly in the form of start-ups and micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This is expected to accelerate the rehabilitation and expansion of telecoms networks and drive economic growth.
Approximately 80-90% of Syrians remain unbanked, with around 80% of daily transactions conducted in cash. Remittances sent to family members by the diaspora population, which reached an estimated $350m per month at its peak, contribute significantly to cash use. To tackle the persistent use of cash, the government aims to adopt digital payment systems and encourage consumers to enrol in banking and digital financial systems. The creation of digital payment systems is expected to ease cross-border commerce, support e-commerce and enhance remittances. To achieve this, government and financial institutions must focus on building public trust. This could be achieved through the development of robust regulatory frameworks and by making improvements to cybersecurity.
In 2026 Haykal publicly tested Syria’s first payment on the Visa and Mastercard networks in over a decade, via the local payment system Paymera, whose technical infrastructure had to be built from scratch. The MoCT and Visa signed a cooperation agreement in February 2026 to advance digital infrastructure, financial inclusion and fintech innovation, including a regulatory sandbox, collaboration on fraud prevention, and a dedicated Syrian fintech innovation competition to give local innovators exposure to regional and international investors. The partnership is also expected to support MSME adoption of digital payments and the wider digitalisation of everyday transactions. According to Haykal, the MoCT’s openness to entrepreneurship and start-ups, as well as private sector investment, is building an environment conducive to their success.
Outlook
The Syrian government has made advances in redeveloping and expanding the country’s telecoms infrastructure, including internet and mobile networks. Its openness to private investment is expected to drive greater innovation and network expansion. Meanwhile, long-term strategies to connect Syria to Asia and Europe are expected to establish Syria as a digital destination, with plans for international connectivity.
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