MUSCAT: Oman Investment Authority (OIA) yesterday, May 5, announced the winners of the third edition of the “OIA Excellence Award”, which featured eight categories. The award serves as a strategic tool aimed at fostering competitiveness among its portfolio companies through a rigorous, metrics-based approach that is closely aligned with national objectives.
OQ Group won the “Investment and Job Creation” category, while Omantel secured the “Performance and Financial Sustainability” award. Omran Group was recognised in the “Private Sector Engagement” category, and Muscat International School project, affiliated with Oman and Brunei Investment Company, won the “Outstanding Project” category.
In addition, Nama Holding Group, represented by Nama Water Services and Nama Distribution, received the “Local Content and Innovation” award, while be’ah was honored in the “SME and Startup Support” category. Moreover, Omantel, represented by its “Maqroo’” initiative, won the “Social Investment” category.
Meanwhile, the newly introduced “Project Collaboration” category recognised two winning initiatives: the Activation of Economic Diplomacy project in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Indirect Omanisation in the ICT Sector project in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour.
The winners were announced during the 10th edition of “Rawabet” Forum, organised by OIA and hosted this year by Omantel under the auspices of Shaikh Ghuson bin Hilal Al Alawi, Chairman of State Audit Institution. The event was attended by Abdulsalam bin Mohammed al Murshidi, President of OIA, along with senior officials, board members of OIA companies, and chief executive officers. Notably, the forum serves as an annual platform to strengthen integration, align visions across OIA companies, and showcase key achievements and joint initiatives.
Al Murshidi stated that OIA continues to translate the objectives of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan and Oman Vision 2040 into tangible outcomes by focusing on priority sectors such as tourism, the digital economy, and manufacturing. Through this approach, OIA aims to drive economic diversification and reinforce the developmental impact of OIA’s investments.
He emphasised that OIA companies play a central role in this direction by delivering high-quality projects that enhance value creation and achieve sustainable growth. He noted that these companies have demonstrated their ability to translate strategies into measurable achievements, whether through strengthening private sector partnerships, attracting foreign investments, or developing projects that stimulate economic activity and create employment opportunities. He further noted that integration among OIA companies is no longer optional but essential to maximising economic returns and achieving the desired impact. Accordingly, he called for building on existing achievements and accelerating efforts in the coming phase, particularly given the promising opportunities to enhance performance, improve efficiency, and attract investment, while continuing to uphold the highest standards of excellence.
OQ Group won the “Investment and Job Creation” category for its (Ladayn Complex) project, which attracted nine investments worth RO 39 million and created 728 direct jobs, in addition to 500 indirect jobs. Meanwhile, Omantel secured the “Performance and Sustainability” award for achieving the highest improvement in sustainability indicators, including an 88% growth in net profit and strong efficiency in return on assets and cash flows.
Omran Group won the “Private Sector Engagement” award for achieving full marks in attracting foreign capital and executing successful exits in both the Sultan Qaboos Port Waterfront Development Project and the Yiti Development Project (Phase 3). In parallel, Muscat International School project received the “Outstanding Project” award following strong competition, with evaluation based on three key criteria: adherence to timelines, compliance with budget, and achieving the highest standards of occupational safety, provided the project had been operational for at least six months.
Nama Holding, represented by Nama Water Services and Nama Distribution, won the “Local Content and Innovation” category for achieving the highest average spending on local added value and local expenditure. Moreover, Omantel also won the “Social Investment” category for its (Maqroo) project, recognised for its innovative approach to supporting individuals with dyslexia as the first initiative of its kind in Arabic.
The newly introduced “Project Collaboration” (External Stakeholders) category aims to recognise initiatives that demonstrate a high level of coordination and collaboration with strategic external partners to ensure the success of national initiatives. In this context, the Activation of Economic Diplomacy project, implemented in collaboration between OIA’s Private Investments Directorate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was recognised for opening new international investment channels.
Similarly, the Indirect Omanisation in the ICT Sector project, implemented in collaboration between OIA’s Local Content Directorate and the Ministry of Labour, was also awarded, having contributed to increasing Omanisation rates in a promising technology sector and generating more than 1,700 indirect jobs.
As part of OIA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen integration across its portfolio companies, the forum witnessed the announcement of a new package of initiatives resulting from the OIA’s annual brainstorming workshops. This year, 20 initiatives underwent multiple stages of evaluation and study, with 10 approved by the steering committee as practical steps toward moving from planning to execution and enhancing value creation in the national economy.
In addition, the forum also saw the signing of several strategic agreements reflecting OIA’s commitment, along with its companies, to fostering high-quality partnerships, advancing integration, and enabling projects with sustainable economic and developmental impact.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
