RO 300m digital investment, 3,000 annual jobs targeted

BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT, OCT 22
Oman launched the second phase of its National Digital Economy Programme on Thursday, shifting the focus from government services to businesses and productive sectors, with targets to attract RO 300 million in technology investment and create 3,000 direct jobs annually.
The programme, covering 2026 to 2030, aims to increase the digital economy's contribution to gross domestic product to RO 1.5 billion by the end of the decade. It will place greater emphasis on digital trade, electronic payments, artificial intelligence and the use of technology to improve business productivity.
The launch, held under the auspices of Sultan bin Salim al Habsi, Minister of Finance, also brought new findings on the size of the digital economy. A survey conducted this year by the National Centre for Statistics and Information in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology put its contribution at 9 per cent of GDP.
The announced findings did not explain the measurement used for the 9 per cent figure or how it relates to the programme's RO 1.5 billion target.
For businesses, the next phase is intended to make digital technology part of everyday commercial activity rather than mainly a tool for delivering government services.

Eng Ghalib bin Said al Maamari, Undersecretary for Commerce and Industry at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said the Digital Commerce Programme would focus on helping Omani companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), reach wider markets and strengthen their competitiveness.
The programme will encourage the use of artificial intelligence in marketing, inventory management, demand forecasting and supply chains, while supporting digital trade between businesses and across borders.
The value of e-commerce in Oman reached RO 288 million in 2025, up from RO 221 million in 2023, an increase of about 30 per cent.
Dr Ali bin Amer al Shidhani, Undersecretary for Communications and Information Technology, said 251 companies had secured government technology contracts under efforts to expand SME participation. He also reported the establishment of 48 business incubators and accelerators and the provision of more than RO 127 million in financing.
Employment remains another priority. Omanisation in technology-related economic activities increased from 33 per cent in 2022 to 46 per cent in 2026, while the rate in technology occupations rose from 50 per cent to 72 per cent. More than 5,000 new technology jobs were created for Omanis over the past five years, according to the ministry.
The programme is also being supported by an expanding telecommunications network.
Eng Omar bin Hamdan al Ismaili, Chief Executive Officer of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, said fibre-optic subscriptions had risen from 184,000 in 2021 to 357,000 in 2025, while fixed 5G subscriptions increased from 76,000 to 220,000.
Fibre-optic network coverage expanded from 625,000 units to 958,000 over the same period, with coverage expected to exceed one million units in 2026.
The ministry also outlined plans for specialised AI data centres with capacity of up to 500 megawatts. It did not announce investment costs, developers or a construction timetable for the proposed facilities.
The launch included a Strategic Intelligence Platform developed in cooperation with the World Economic Forum to support policy decisions through data and analysis of emerging technology trends.
The second phase follows the 2021–2025 programme, which concentrated on developing an integrated digital government. Its stated objective is now to extend the economic benefits of digitalisation to companies, industries and commercial activity across Oman.