The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with the support of the European Union (EU), is strengthening Jordan’s position as a regional digital hub with a JOD 10 million (US$ 14.1 million) loan to Aqaba Digital Hub (ADH). Capital Bank of Jordan, an existing lender to ADH, acts as parallel lender in the financing. The EBRD loan will fund the fit-out and expansion of ADH’s existing data centre, including settling supplier commitments and constructing a second hall. The site is Jordan’s largest Tier 3, carrier-neutral data centre.

The financing will be complemented by technical assistance to support the launch of Aqaba Digital Academy, which will deliver specialised training in information and communications technology (ICT) and cybersecurity in response to growing market demand. The Academy will place particular emphasis on promoting skills development among women and young people, ensuring equal access to economic opportunities in Jordan’s technology sector.

The investment benefits from a first-loss guarantee under the EU’s EFSD+ Guarantee Digital Transformation Platform and is fully aligned with the EU’s Global Gateway and the Pact for the Mediterranean priority objective of supporting open, secure and resilient digital infrastructure. The EBRD’s financing will also be complemented by a grant from the Bank’s Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change (FINTECC) to support the adoption of green technologies.

ADH is a leading Jordanian digital infrastructure and technology group that operates a data centre, fibre-optic networks and subsea cables. Its platform brings together colocation, interconnection, and connectivity services, serving local, regional and international clients and serves as a key landing station for terrestrial and subsea cables linking Jordan to European and global networks.

The Coral Bridge subsea cable, which ADH constructed jointly with Telecom Egypt, connects Jordan to Africa, as well as to Europe. ADH also serves as the landing station for the Blue Raman Subsea Cable System, developed by an international consortium including Telecom Italia Sparkle connecting Europe, Middle East, and Asia, another strategic asset supporting secure global connectivity. The financing was signed in Jordan by the Bank’s Head of the Eastern Mediterranean, Gretchen Biery, the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica and Aqaba Digital Hub’s CEO, Eyad Abu Khorma in the presence of the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Toukan.

EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica noted: “The expansion of Aqaba Digital Hub is a testament to the strength of EU-Jordan cooperation in shaping the digital infrastructure of the future. In a world where connectivity is power, this initiative reinforces Jordan’s role as a trusted regional hub for secure, resilient, and sustainable digital networks. Today we are not only unlocking Jordan’s economic potential, but also strengthening the digital bridges between Europe, the Middle East, and India.”