Oman advances semiconductor ambitions

MUSCAT, SEPT 7
Oman is seeking to turn its growing semiconductor investments into deeper local engineering, research and technical capability as international technology companies establish operations linked to the Sultanate and expand across the Gulf.
The latest development involves US-headquartered semiconductor and connectivity company Movandi, which is establishing a research and development operation in Muscat while expanding its activities elsewhere in the region. The company has unveiled two new semiconductor products designed for 5G, emerging 6G networks and artificial-intelligence infrastructure, alongside new partnerships in Saudi Arabia.
For Oman, however, the broader significance lies less in the individual chip launch than in whether such investments can help establish lasting technical capability inside the country. Movandi’s Muscat operation is intended to focus on smart communications and artificial intelligence, working with local universities and research institutions to co-develop technology and develop Omani talent.
The approach reflects a wider effort to position Oman in higher-value parts of the semiconductor and advanced-technology ecosystem rather than solely as a consumer of imported technology.
Through technology investment group ITHCA, Oman has already attracted investments linked to a number of semiconductor and advanced-technology companies. The supplied project material lists an investment of RO 5 million, equivalent to about $13 million, in chip-design company GSME, and RO 1.93 million, or about $5 million, in programmable-optics company Lumotive.
ITHCA also led a $20 million investment in Movandi as part of a wider $40 million funding round. While these investments do not yet amount to large-scale semiconductor manufacturing in Oman, they point towards an emerging focus on chip design, research, advanced communications and engineering skills. That distinction is important because semiconductor value chains extend well beyond fabrication plants. Design, intellectual property, testing, software, communications technology and specialised engineering can all form part of a broader industrial ecosystem.
Movandi’s presence in Muscat provides one test of whether foreign technology investment can translate into greater local participation in those activities. The company says its Muscat base will operate as a research and development centre focused on smart communications and artificial intelligence, while working with universities and research institutions in Oman.
Its latest products, the MV3564 and MV3514, are frequency-synthesiser chips used to generate stable timing signals for wireless communications and high-speed data systems. The devices are aimed at applications including 5G and future 6G networks, base stations, data-centre connectivity, drones, robotics and other intelligent edge systems.
The regional dimension is also becoming more significant. During the LEAP 2026 technology event in Riyadh, Movandi signed agreements with Saudi companies ACES and WE Solutions covering areas including 5G and 6G infrastructure, radio-frequency semiconductors, Open RAN, systems integration and local engineering support. The agreements expand the company’s Gulf footprint and could provide a wider regional market for technology and engineering activity associated with its operations.
For Oman, the longer-term measure of success will therefore be less about the number of technology companies attracted and more about how much research, engineering work, technical employment and knowledge can be retained and developed locally. Building that capability would also determine whether the Sultanate can move progressively further into the semiconductor value chain as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced communications and digital technologies expands across the Gulf.