MUSCAT, SEPT 10
Dr Said bin Mohammed al Saqri, Minister of Economy, opened the Hadatha Cybersecurity Industry Forum at Comex 2025 on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Organised by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology through the National Centre for Information Security, deliberations focused on investing in building a national cybersecurity industry, complying with global standards in services and solutions; and enhancing cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Badr bin Ali al Salhi, Director General of the National Centre for Information Security and Head of the 4th Industrial Revolution Centre, highlighted that the forum aims to strengthen the digital economy as a key contributor to the national economy. He explained that the Executive Programme for the Cybersecurity Industry is a cornerstone of Oman’s National Digital Economy Programme, enhancing digital infrastructure, building customer trust, enabling secure and sustainable economic growth; and attracting local and global investment.
Key outcomes of the Hadatha programme include Oman achieving top-tier ranks in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index, launching cybersecurity centres at Sultan Qaboos University and the University of Technology and Applied Sciences; and establishing the world’s first Cybersecurity Industry Monitoring Centre to support decision-making based on economic indicators. The programme has also supported the creation of five new cybersecurity companies, developed 17 local cybersecurity products, framed six investment opportunities, certified 11 local companies and internationally accredited three national firms for global cybersecurity standards.
The forum also launched the preliminary website for Oman’s 4th Industrial Revolution Centre, developed with the World Economic Forum and officially inaugurated the national “Thiqah” digital trust services project, offering services including digital identity, electronic signatures and digital seals to promote secure and reliable digital transformation.
Several agreements were signed, including a collaboration with CRiST International to accelerate cybersecurity company maturity and a partnership with Middle East College to establish a Hadatha Centre, aimed at creating economic opportunities in the cybersecurity sector.
The forum recognised winners of the Hadatha Excellence Initiative for local talent across government, private, academic and individual categories. Awards included government entities such as Oman Investment Authority and Muscat Municipality, private companies like Dream Lab and BugBounty Oman, academic institutions such as Middle East College and individual innovators including Shouq bint Amer al Maashaniyah and Suleiman bin Salem al Salhi.
International organisations and local companies were also honoured under the CREST CAMP programme for advancing global cybersecurity service standards, including Al Diyar, CRiST, Tabaṣṣur Information Security, Oman Digital Data Company and Tatweer Cybersecurity.
The forum included panel discussions on investment opportunities in cybersecurity, national company challenges in expansion and innovation; and a roundtable with investors and decision-makers to envision Oman as a regional cybersecurity hub. — ONA
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