Dhofar hosts ‘Govern It Smart’ hackathon finale

SALALAH: SALALAH: The State Audit Institution (SAI), in cooperation with Dhofar Municipality, concluded the ‘Govern It Smart’ hackathon on Wednesday, following 48 hours of intensive competition at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.
The event attracted young Omanis, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts focused on digital solutions to enhance governance and transparency in managing governorate-level investments.
The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Mahmoud bin Abdullah al Owaini, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance, in the presence of Zahra bint Mohammed Redha al Lawatiyah, Deputy President for Oversight of Authorities, Investments and Companies at SAI, alongside officials and specialists.
The hackathon received around 360 applications, with 65 participants forming 14 teams to develop practical, scalable tools supporting the governance of investment projects across Oman’s governorates. Teams worked under close mentorship while a specialist jury evaluated projects against clear and transparent criteria.
At the finale, the top prizes were awarded to:
First Place: Yadoom, Second Place: Maddad and Third Place: Nafithoon.
Two special awards were also announced: Best Programmer went to Shihab al Jabri, and Most Innovative Idea went to Maak.
Commenting on the outcomes, Salem bin Mohsin al Ghassani, Director of the Training & Development Centre at SAI, said:
“Governance of investments is a pivotal agenda, and we hope these outcomes will translate into achievements that match the nation’s ambitions. We have witnessed genuine passion and commitment from participants and tireless efforts to deliver work that rises to our aspirations. Everyone present today is a winner; giving does not end. This is not a finish line but a launchpad for the next stages.”
Organisers stated that the winning initiatives will be further developed with relevant entities to transition into implementable solutions, ensuring wider benefit and long-term impact.
The event aligns with Oman’s decentralisation framework under Royal Decree No 36/2022 and supports the national priorities of Oman Vision 2040, promoting integrity, transparency, accountability and stronger local administration and community participation.