Kuwait's Zain Telecommunications Company has signed an official contract with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Syria to grant it a license to operate as a second mobile operator in the country, to enter the Syrian market as a complete alternative to MTN, which has terminated its business and written off its investments.
The total value of the investment is about $1.5 billion, including $747 million for the operating license, in addition to $800 million allocated by the company for network expansion, infrastructure modernization, and the introduction of 5G services.
The license extends for 20 years, during which Zain owns 75% of the local operations, while the Syrian Sovereign Fund retains 25%, Zain acquires MTN's towers, equipment, and buildings to ensure the service is launched quickly, while currently managing a 6-month transition to ensure the service continues to be available to more than 6.3 million subscribers without any interruption.
Zain Syria services are expected to be officially launched during the first quarter of 2027, starting a new phase in the Syrian telecommunications market.
The agreement came after MTN's exit from the Syrian market, where Zain engineers recently completed a comprehensive survey of telecom towers and power plants in various governorates, in preparation for the actual start of operation and the launch of the services of the new operator.
President Al-Shara receives the President of Kuwait's Zain
The signing was the culmination of a months-long negotiation process, followed by President Ahmed Al-Shara's reception of the company's delegation at the People's Palace, where the importance of Zain's involvement in modernizing the telecommunications sector and strengthening the national digital infrastructure was emphasized.
President Al-Sharaa welcomed the agreement signed between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Zain Telecommunications Group, which paves the way for the Group's entry into the Syrian market, which contributes to the development of the telecommunications sector and the enhancement of digital infrastructure in Syria.
Zain Supports the Launch of a National Fund for Emerging Technologies
The Minister of Finance, Yusser Barnieh, revealed a move to launch a "National Fund" to support entrepreneurs and startups in the fields of modern technologies, with an initial contribution from the Kuwaiti company Zain, which announced yesterday that it has officially entered as a second mobile operator in Syria.
In a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday morning, July 1, Minister Barnieh pointed out that the signing of the contract with Kuwait's Zain Company carries "important messages" in the path of economic recovery, considering that the deal represents the "largest investment" witnessed by the telecommunications sector in Syria and is evidence of the growing confidence in the future of the national economy.
The Minister said that what is encouraging is not only the state's share that will strengthen the treasury, but also the level of integrity and transparency that accompanied the bid management and the selection of the winning company without any interference, which the participating companies praised, according to him, stressing that this approach establishes a new stage in dealing with investments.
He pointed out that Zain's entry will contribute to the development of digital infrastructure, support digital transformation projects, improve telecommunications services, create job opportunities for Syrian youth, and open the door to Kuwaiti investment expansions in other sectors within the Syrian market.
At the end of his post, the Minister of Finance congratulated the Minister of Communications and his team, along with Bader Al-Kharafi, the representative of Zain, praising the great efforts made by the Ministry and the Regulatory Authority to overcome the legal and operational challenges, and said: "The next one is more beautiful."
The fate of MTN subscribers' lines after their transition to Zain Syria
Sources in MTN confirmed that its subscribers will not face any change in their numbers or interruption in service as a result of the network's transition to Zain Syria, noting that the network will be fully transferred to the new operator while maintaining the rights of more than 6.3 million subscribers.
The sources pointed out that the phone numbers will remain exactly the same, including the codes 094 and 095, while the subscribers' data and line ownership contracts will be automatically transferred to Zain's records to ensure the continuity of the lawfulness of the service.
She explained that the current SIM cards will continue to work during the transition phase, before the new network name Zain/Zain appears on the phone screen instead of MTN, stressing that the full commercial launch will be accompanied by the possibility of replacing the old SIM cards with 5G chips for free or for a small fee.
The sources stated that financial balances, internet bundles, and active minutes will be carried over without any loss, while the electronic payment system and cash services will be transferred to the Zain Cash platform to ensure that financial transactions continue smoothly and securely.
Silklink's contract with stc has nothing to do with the mobile license in Syria
On February 7, 2026, stc Group announced that it had won a huge strategic contract in Syria worth more than 3 billion Saudi riyals (about $800 million) to implement an advanced infrastructure project called "Silklink" in partnership with the Syrian Sovereign Fund.
Sources confirmed to "Syrian News" that the contract is not related to the operation of the mobile phone license in Syria, but is exclusively concerned with building the national telecommunications backbone network by extending more than 4,500 kilometers of optical fiber, and establishing giant data centers and international submarine cable stations, with the aim of turning Syria into an international transit corridor for data between Asia, Europe and Africa, and raising the quality of the internet and cloud services within the country.
Under the contract signed in February, stc owns 75% of the project, compared to 25% for the Syrian Sovereign Fund, and following the announcement, rumors spread about stc's acquisition of MTN's alternative mobile phone operating license, but the Syrian Ministry of Communications denied this in official statements during March and April 2026, stressing that the company's role is limited to infrastructure, while the license of the second operator was offered in a separate global competition to serve subscribers directly Which ended yesterday with the victory of Zain of Kuwait.
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