Oman Unveils 2026-2030 Digital Economy Roadmap: National AI Platform, Digital Centres, and a Path to 10% of GDP

The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) has unveiled an ambitious new roadmap for the period 2026 to 2030, signalling Oman's most comprehensive push yet to build a self-sustaining digital economy. Backed by a landmark report showing the digital economy already contributes RO 800 million to GDP, the new plan includes a national AI platform, digital transformation centres in all 11 governorates, sovereign cloud infrastructure, and expanded cybersecurity capabilities. The goal: raise the digital economy's share of GDP to 10% by 2040.

📋 Key Takeaways

• Oman's digital economy hit RO 800 million in 2023, with 48 million government transactions processed in 2025
• RO 79 million has been invested in AI, producing 22 specialized companies and the Ma'een language model
• The 2026-2030 plan includes digital centres in every governorate and a national AI platform for government
• Oman now ranks 2nd in the GCC and 18th globally among fastest-growing digital economies
• Over 11,000 Omanis trained in digital skills through the Makeen initiative, with 69% Omanisation in IT roles
• The Fawtara e-invoicing platform is live, with Phase 1 launching in August 2026 for 100+ large companies

📊 By the Numbers: What the First Five Years Achieved

The announcement was accompanied by a detailed report titled "The Harvest of the Digital Economy in the Sultanate of Oman: From Establishment to Empowerment," which reviews the results of the National Digital Economy Programme from 2021 to 2025. The figures are striking.

Muscat Daily reported on 10 March 2026 that Minister Eng. Said bin Hamoud al Maawali presented the roadmap as the next stage in the government's strategy to build what he called "a sustainable and advanced digital economy, aligned with the directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik."

🗺️ The 2026-2030 Plan: What's New

The new five-year roadmap builds on the progress of the first programme and focuses on six major pillars.

1. Digital Transformation Centres in Every Governorate

Each of Oman's 11 governorates will receive a dedicated digital transformation centre tailored to its regional economic characteristics. For example, a centre in Dhofar might focus on agriculture and tourism technology, while one in Al Batinah could emphasize fisheries and logistics digitization. The idea is to decentralize digital capacity building and ensure that tech innovation is not concentrated solely in Muscat.

2. National AI Platform for Government

A new national AI platform built on large language models will be deployed for government decision-making. This builds on the existing Omani language model "Ma'een AI," which was developed and trained on local data. Ma'een is designed to support Arabic language processing and help government employees with analysis, summarization, and content creation. The next phase will expand this into a broader decision-support tool across ministries.

3. Sovereign Cloud and Local Manufacturing

The plan includes local manufacturing of server and cloud infrastructure components to reduce dependence on international suppliers. This complements Omantel's Otech sovereign cloud platform, which launched in February 2026 as the first AWS-accredited sovereign cloud service in the Middle East.

4. Cybersecurity Expansion

Oman will strengthen its cybersecurity ecosystem by supporting the growth of local cybersecurity companies. The previous programme already trained 8,000 Omanis and 5,000 international participants, completed nearly 3,000 specialized government training sessions, and established three innovation centres.

5. Satellite Data Integration

An integrated cloud environment for satellite data processing will be established. This aligns with Oman's expanding space programme, which includes the upcoming launch of an AI-equipped satellite by Oman Lens in the first half of 2026.

6. National Payment Infrastructure

Development of a national payment card system to enhance financial independence and reduce reliance on international payment networks.

🤖 AI Investment: RO 79 Million and Growing

The MTCIT report revealed that Oman has invested over RO 79 million in artificial intelligence to date. This investment has produced a small but growing AI ecosystem with approximately 22 specialized companies operating in the Sultanate.

The centrepiece of the AI effort is Ma'een, described as the first advanced national language model in Oman. Ma'een was developed and trained on local data with a focus on supporting digital sovereignty and empowering the Arabic language for government use cases.

Dr. Ali bin Amer al Shaithani, Under-Secretary of MTCIT, described the broader programme as "a comprehensive framework designed to foster a knowledge-based economy through advanced technology and innovation."

The National Digital Economy Programme (2021-2025) concentrated investment across eight strategic sectors: government digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital industry, space technologies, e-commerce, financial technology, and digital infrastructure. The 2026-2030 phase will deepen investment in all eight while adding new focus areas like quantum computing readiness.

🌍 Global Rankings: Oman Climbs 16 Places

The timing of the roadmap launch coincides with strong international recognition. According to the Global Digital Economy Report 2026 by the International Data Center Association, Oman now ranks:

• 2nd in the GCC (behind only the UAE)
• 3rd in the Arab world
• 18th globally among the fastest-growing digital economies

In the 2026 International Digital Competitiveness Assessment, Oman climbed 16 places to land among the top 25 countries experiencing the most rapid digital progress. The Sultanate scored 47 out of 100 on the digital readiness index, surpassing Saudi Arabia (44), Qatar (42), Kuwait (41), and Bahrain (35). Only the UAE, at 53, ranked higher in the region.

👩‍💻 Human Capital: 11,000 Omanis Trained Through Makeen

One of the most tangible outcomes of the first five-year programme has been in workforce development. The Makeen initiative has trained over 11,000 Omanis in digital skills to support the technology labour market. This has contributed to an Omanisation rate of 69% in technical IT roles, with Omanis representing 45.5% of the total IT workforce.

In 2025, the IT sector employed 1,289 Omani nationals across 33 specialized professions. While these numbers are still modest, the trajectory is clear: Oman is investing in building a domestic tech talent pipeline rather than relying solely on expatriate expertise.

The 2026-2030 phase is expected to accelerate this with more advanced training in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing, though specific training targets have not yet been announced.

🧾 Fawtara: Digital Tax Infrastructure Goes Live

Running in parallel with the digital economy programme, the Oman Tax Authority has launched the Fawtara platform, a national e-invoicing system that will fundamentally change how businesses handle tax compliance in the Sultanate.

The Fawtara platform went live in its first release in early 2026 with service provider registration functionality. The system adopts the internationally recognized Peppol framework. The Oman Tax Authority was officially approved as a Peppol Authority on 7 January 2026.

Key milestones ahead:

• May 2026: Service provider (Access Point) accreditation opens
• August 2026: Phase 1 begins for approximately 100-153 of the largest VAT-registered taxpayers
• Early 2027: Phase 2 for remaining large taxpayers
• Mid-to-late 2027: Phase 3 for all remaining VAT-registered businesses
• 2028: Full completion expected

The OTA is currently running support workshops for service providers, with sessions held on 17, 26, and 31 March 2026, and another scheduled for 7 April 2026. Invoices must be generated in UBL 2.1 XML format with 53 mandatory fields for standard tax invoices.

For businesses operating in Oman, this means a significant investment in digital accounting systems over the next two years. It also creates opportunities for local tech companies offering ERP and invoicing solutions.

🚀 E-Commerce and Space: Two Emerging Pillars

Two sectors that saw notable growth under the 2021-2025 programme deserve special attention.

E-commerce reached RO 288 million in transactions in 2025, supported by over 14,000 online commercial licences. The growth of digital payments and the upcoming national payment card system should accelerate this further.

Space technologies saw Oman's first experimental rocket launched from Duqm in 2024, and the sector now includes 25 companies with approximately 401 specialists. The upcoming AI-equipped satellite launch by Oman Lens will add high-resolution imaging and onboard AI processing capabilities to the national space infrastructure.

🇴🇲 Why This Matters for Oman

The 2026-2030 digital economy roadmap represents a significant shift from the "establishment" phase of the first five years to an "empowerment" phase. Here is what makes it significant.

Decentralization is the big idea. By placing digital transformation centres in every governorate, Oman is deliberately spreading economic opportunity beyond Muscat. This addresses one of the key challenges of digital economies globally: the tendency to concentrate wealth and innovation in capital cities.

Sovereignty is a clear priority. From Ma'een AI to sovereign cloud infrastructure to local server manufacturing, the plan emphasizes reducing dependence on foreign technology providers. In a region where data sovereignty is increasingly seen as a strategic asset, this positions Oman alongside the UAE and Saudi Arabia in building independent digital infrastructure.

The numbers validate the strategy. With RO 800 million in GDP contribution, 48 million digital transactions, and a 16-place jump in global rankings, Oman has concrete evidence that its digital investment is paying off. The question now is whether the 2026-2030 phase can maintain this momentum and deliver on the ambitious 10% of GDP target by 2040.

For startups, entrepreneurs, and tech professionals in the Sultanate, the message is clear: the government is doubling down on digital, and the opportunities are expanding across sectors, cities, and technologies.

📚 Sources

• Muscat Daily, "MTCIT unveils new drive to expand digital economy," 10 March 2026
• Omanet, "Oman Digitizes Over 2,000 Government Services," March 2026
• Omanet, "Digital Economy Boosts Oman's GDP by RO 800m," March 2026
• Omanet, "Oman's Digital Surge Leads GCC," March 2026
• MTCIT, "The Harvest of the Digital Economy in the Sultanate of Oman: From Establishment to Empowerment" (2021-2025 report)
• Global Digital Economy Report 2026, International Data Center Association
• PwC Middle East, "Oman E-Invoicing: Latest Implementation Developments," March 2026
• MTCIT, "National Programme for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Advanced Digital Technologies"