Oman is accelerating its journey towards a diversified, tech-driven future with a new set of initiatives unveiled by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT). The comprehensive five-year program, set to run from 2026 to 2030, aims to significantly expand the Sultanate’s digital economy by enhancing national capabilities in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure while fostering technological self-reliance.
A Hyper-Localized Digital Strategy
A core pillar of the new strategy is the decentralization of digital development. The MTCIT plans to establish dedicated digital transformation centers in every governorate across Oman. Each center will be uniquely tailored to the economic and technological landscape of its region, ensuring that digital innovation supports local development and integrates advanced technologies into local production and services.
Building National Tech Independence
In a significant move towards technological sovereignty, the plan includes measures to bolster national cybersecurity firms and promote the local manufacturing and assembly of servers and cloud infrastructure equipment. This initiative is designed to reduce Oman’s dependence on international suppliers for critical digital hardware.
Furthermore, authorities are exploring the development of a national payment card to strengthen financial independence within the digital payments sector and are establishing an integrated cloud environment to process satellite data for economic and research purposes.
AI and Data at the Core
Artificial intelligence is central to Oman’s forward-looking agenda. The government plans to develop a national predictive intelligence platform powered by large language models. This advanced platform will leverage sophisticated data analysis to support and enhance government decision-making processes, marking a major step towards data-driven governance.
Building on a Strong Foundation
This new phase builds upon the success of the National Programme for the Digital Economy (2021–2025). According to a recent MTCIT report, the digital economy contributed approximately RO 800 million to the national GDP in 2023.
The previous five-year period saw over 2,200 government services digitized, annual digital government transactions surpass 29 million, and more than RO 79 million invested in artificial intelligence. Additionally, the “Makin” initiative successfully trained over 11,000 Omanis in critical digital skills, strengthening the local tech talent pool. These achievements position Oman firmly on its path to achieving its Vision 2040 goal, which targets the digital economy to constitute 10% of the national GDP.
About The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT)
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology of Oman is the government body responsible for formulating and implementing policies and strategies to develop the Sultanate’s transport, logistics, communications, and IT sectors. The ministry spearheads the nation’s digital transformation agenda in line with Oman Vision 2040, aiming to create a sustainable and diversified knowledge-based economy.
Source: Zawya
