Ooredoo Group has just announced a landmark partnership with Aduna, the global Network API aggregator, to make its standardized telecom APIs accessible to businesses across MENA and beyond — all through a single, global platform. Ooredoo Aduna API collaboration

It’s more than a technical collaboration. It’s a clear signal that Ooredoo is stepping into the fast-emerging network API economy, a space that’s rapidly transforming how telecom operators work with fintechs, digital service providers, and developers worldwide.

Turning network intelligence into business value

Through this collaboration, enterprises like banks, fintechs, e-commerce platforms, and digital service providers will gain seamless access to Ooredoo’s suite of telecom APIs. These include key digital capabilities such as identity verification, SIM swap detection, Know Your Customer (KYC), payments, and communications APIs.

In practice, that means a fintech can instantly verify a customer’s identity through mobile network data — securely, and without juggling multiple local integrations or regulatory hurdles in each country. Or that a global e-commerce platform can detect SIM swaps in real time, reducing fraud and improving transaction security across borders.

Rene Werner, Ooredoo’s Group Chief Strategy Officer and Acting Group Chief Commercial Officer, framed it well:

“With this collaboration, we are turning network intelligence into practical business value. Businesses can now plug Ooredoo APIs into their platforms and deliver safer, faster, and more innovative digital services to customers wherever they are.”

A milestone for Ooredoo’s open innovation strategy

This partnership isn’t happening in isolation. It fits squarely into Ooredoo’s broader digital transformation roadmap — one that embraces open innovation, interoperability, and new revenue models.

As telecoms evolve from pure connectivity providers into platform players, the global API economy offers a powerful way to monetize network intelligence. It’s a shift already embraced by major operators such as Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and e& (formerly Etisalat) — all of which are also part of Aduna’s founding ecosystem.

Building on Ooredoo’s work within the GSMA’s CAMARA project — a global initiative that defines common standards for telecom APIs — this new collaboration takes the concept from blueprint to execution. Aduna provides the aggregation layer that connects Ooredoo’s APIs to a global marketplace, enabling secure, standardized access for developers and enterprises around the world.

“This partnership connects the dots between standardization and scale,” Werner added. “From CAMARA to Aduna, we’re building the full value chain for scalable, interoperable APIs that empower innovation.”

A gradual rollout with long-term ambition

Ooredoo plans a phased onboarding of its operating companies into the Aduna ecosystem, expected to continue through 2027. Once completed, developers and global enterprises will have a single point of access to Ooredoo’s digital capabilities — a significant simplification for anyone building on telecom-grade APIs.

For Aduna, this deal expands its presence across the MENA region while strengthening its network of global partners. Anthony Bartolo, CEO of Aduna, commented:

“Aduna was created to help telecom operators like Ooredoo turn standardization into monetization. By connecting Ooredoo’s advanced API capabilities to a global distribution platform, we’re enabling businesses everywhere to innovate faster, safer, and with greater scale.”

About the players

Ooredoo Group is one of the leading telecom operators in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. Beyond mobile and broadband services, it’s investing heavily in digital transformation, enterprise connectivity, and now—programmable network APIs.

Aduna, on the other hand, is a collaborative venture between global telecom heavyweights such as AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, e&, KDDI, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone, alongside technology partners including Google Cloud, Infobip, Sinch, and Vonage.

Its foundation rests on the open-source CAMARA project, driven by the GSMA and Linux Foundation, which aims to standardize how network capabilities are exposed via APIs to developers worldwide.

Why it matters—and where it’s heading

The telecom API economy is shaping up to be one of the most significant shifts in telecom business models since 4G. According to Juniper Research, the market for network APIs is projected to exceed $20 billion by 2028, with operators worldwide seeking to unlock new value streams by exposing verified network capabilities to developers.

By partnering with Aduna, Ooredoo isn’t just joining this movement — it’s positioning itself as a regional leader in the MENA API space, bridging telecom, fintech, and digital ecosystems.

Other players—such as Vonage (now part of Ericsson) and Twilio—have already proven the demand for programmable communications APIs. However, where those platforms often rely on over-the-top (OTT) infrastructure, Aduna’s approach integrates directly at the network layer, offering telco-grade security, compliance, and reliability.

That distinction could prove decisive as industries like banking, travel tech, and e-commerce demand stronger authentication and seamless digital experiences.

Conclusion: Ooredoo’s smart move into the programmable era

Ooredoo’s collaboration with Aduna marks a strategic inflection point—one that transforms telecom assets into programmable tools for global developers and enterprises. It aligns Ooredoo with a wave of telcos reimagining themselves as digital enablers, not just connectivity providers.

In an era where APIs are the new currency of innovation, Ooredoo’s entry into the network API economy positions it alongside global pioneers—and sets the stage for a more open, secure, and interoperable digital future across the Middle East and beyond.