Oman leads GCC digital gains

MUSCAT: Oman has emerged as one of the strongest digital climbers in the Gulf, leading regional gains in the latest International Digital Competitiveness Assessment (IDCA) 2026 report, which tracks progress in digital readiness, infrastructure and policy effectiveness across global economies.

The report shows that Oman advanced 16 places globally between 2022 and 2025, placing the Sultanate of Oman among the top 25 fastest-improving countries worldwide. This upward movement reflects sustained progress in digital infrastructure rollout, institutional reforms and investment in emerging technologies, including data centres and artificial intelligence.

Within the Gulf Cooperation Council, Oman ranked second overall, with a digital readiness score of 47 out of 100, ahead of Saudi Arabia (44), Qatar (42), Kuwait (41) and Bahrain (35). Only the UAE ranked higher in the GCC with a score of 53, reinforcing Oman’s position as a leading digital reformer among its regional peers.

At the broader Caucasus and Middle East level, Oman placed fifth, following Georgia (64), Armenia (59), the UAE (53) and Jordan (48). The ranking positions the Sultanate of Oman ahead of Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia (both 44), as well as Egypt and Qatar (42), highlighting Oman’s relative strength in digital advancement despite its smaller population base.

IDCA’s assessment notes that the Middle East benefits from substantial investment capacity derived from the energy sector, but also faces structural challenges linked to fossil fuel dependence. Greenhouse gas emissions and economic efficiency penalties associated with hydrocarbons weigh on overall digital readiness scores, particularly in metrics tied to sustainability and energy intensity.

Despite this, the report points to strong growth potential across the region, especially in data centre and AI infrastructure. Oman is identified alongside Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan as countries with active plans to expand digital and AI ecosystems, initiatives that could significantly raise their global profile in data infrastructure over the coming decade.

Saudi Arabia, for example, already operates a large data centre backbone that consumes less than one per cent of its national grid, leaving substantial headroom for expansion. Smaller GCC states, including Oman, are pursuing parallel strategies focused on scalable digital infrastructure, cloud services and AI deployment.

Oman’s improved performance aligns with national priorities under Oman Vision 2040, which emphasises economic diversification, digital government and the development of knowledge-based industries. Over recent years, the Sultanate of Oman has accelerated broadband expansion, strengthened digital public services and encouraged private-sector participation in technology investments.

While Oman’s score of 47 indicates that further progress is required to close the gap with global digital leaders, the 16-place climb underscores a clear positive trajectory. Analysts note that continued momentum will depend on regulatory agility, skills development and the integration of digital technologies across logistics, manufacturing, energy and services.