News

Anghami & OSN+ Announce Landmark Investment Deal

The collaboration will result in the first MENA platform to provide video and music, backed by a $50 million cash injection.

Published

1 year ago

November 21, 2023

Nour Nasir

anghami and osn+ announce landmark investment merge deal

Leading MENA streaming platform Anghami has announced a milestone deal that will see the music and entertainment company join forces with video provider OSN+.

According to a recent press release, combining the two home-grown brands will “offer consumers unprecedented digital aggregation of the best and latest in premium movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, and more while providing a rich and seamless user experience”.

When the collaboration is completed, Anghami will become one of the region’s largest streaming platforms, augmenting its already massive catalog of 100 million songs with 18,000 hours of video from OSN+, including content from HBO, NBC Universal, Paramount, and leading MENA studios.

anghami and osn+ announce landmark investment deal

Elie Habib, co-founder of Anghami and soon-to-be CEO of the combined venture, commented: “Joining forces with OSN+ is a leap in Anghami’s journey to reinvent entertainment in the Arab world. We’re combining technology, music, and video to build a comprehensive media ecosystem. It’s a chance to deepen our connection with our users and create something they will love”.

Joe Kawkabani, CEO of the OSN Group, added: “This is a major milestone in OSN’s journey as we continue to scale up our streaming business. Combining OSN+ content with Anghami’s technology enables us to deliver the best of entertainment all in one place for our customers, ensuring we are continuously evolving our offering to meet their needs. As two home-grown entities with an unmatched understanding of the local market, we are confident that this new offering will change the face of the regional streaming landscape”.

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The OSN Group has pledged to invest in Anghami at $3.65 per share — nearly four times the average price for the past month. The full transaction is expected to close in Q1 2024, at which point OSN will own a majority stake in Anghami.

News

UAE’s Etihad Rail Launches In 2026 — What You Need To Know

A 1,200 km passenger network will transform public transport, with 11 connected cities, and high-speed trains cutting inter-emirate travel times.

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2025

Nour Nasir

Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail has confirmed that its long-anticipated passenger train service will officially launch in 2026, ushering in a new era of high-speed, inter-emirate travel. The UAE’s national railway developer shared the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), as work continues on a 1,200 km passenger network set to connect 11 cities across all seven emirates.

The news marks a major leap in public transportation for the country, with passenger trains designed to reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Travel times will be significantly reduced — Abu Dhabi to Dubai is expected to take just under an hour, while the journey to Fujairah will be cut to around 105 minutes. A separate high-speed line, capable of reaching 350 km/h, is also in the works to link Abu Dhabi and Dubai in just 30 minutes.

The backbone of the network was completed in 2023, when Etihad Rail launched its 900 km freight service linking key industrial and logistics hubs across the UAE, including ports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Fujairah. Now, the focus has shifted to passenger infrastructure.

The first station will be located in Sakamkam, Fujairah city centre, and a second is confirmed near University City in Sharjah. Dubai’s main station is expected to be adjacent to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station, while Abu Dhabi’s is anticipated along the corridor separating Mussafah Industrial Area and Mohammed Bin Zayed City.

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Once completed, the passenger network will link cities including Al Sila, Al Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Dubai, Sharjah, Al Dhaid, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Integration with Oman is also part of the long-term vision. A new cross-border project — Hafeet Rail — will span 303 km between Sohar and Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba area. Developed by Etihad Rail in collaboration with Oman Rail and Mubadala, the link is expected to deepen trade and tourism ties between the two countries.

Etihad Rail’s passenger trains will carry up to 400 passengers each and feature Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points, and onboard food and beverage options to ensure a comfortable experience. To further simplify access, passengers will be able to pay with their nol cards, thanks to a partnership between Etihad Rail and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The collaboration aims to integrate fare payments and booking systems under one unified platform.