MUSCAT: Oman is intensifying efforts to build a vibrant digital economy through its National Digital Economy Programme, which focuses on three pillars — digital government, business digitisation and digital society — aimed at raising the sector’s contribution to 10% of GDP by 2040.
According to Dr Ali bin Amer al Shaithani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, (MoTCIT), the digital economy is expected to contribute around 3% to GDP by the end of 2025. The initiative, aligned with Oman Vision 2040, unfolds in four phases, from digital government integration to exporting digital services.
Oman has already made global progress, ranking 45th in AI readiness, 41st in e-Government development, 1st in cybersecurity readiness and 50th in network readiness. The goal, Al Shaithani noted, is to reach the top 20 globally across these indicators.
A key milestone has been the National Programme for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Digital Technologies, launched in 2023. The programme promotes AI adoption across sectors, localises AI technologies and establishes governance frameworks. It includes 32 projects and focuses on boosting AI readiness, startups and research output.
Among its flagship initiatives are the AI Economics Initiative, backed by RO 25 million and projects such as Mu’een AI, an Omani language model for government use, as well as the AI Studio, AI Makers and the National Open Data Portal.
Further advancing innovation, Oman inaugurated the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in partnership with the World Economic Forum. It also issued a National Policy for the Safe and Ethical Use of AI and formed an AI Experts Committee spanning public, private and academic sectors.
Other major initiatives include the Oman Digital Triangle, designed to host AI data centres powered by green energy and the Green AI Alliance, bringing together 34 companies and institutions to promote sustainable AI investment.
A dedicated Artificial Intelligence Zone near Muscat International Airport has also been announced, offering incentives to attract regional AI firms and reinforce Oman’s position as a digital innovation hub in the Middle East. — ONA
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