The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) announced that it attracted technology-related investments worth more than RO 300 million during 2022.
Dr Ali al Shidhani, Under-Secretary for Communications and Information Technology at the Ministry, shared the following during a press conference, “The digital economy will account for about a quarter of the global economy in 2025, so the Ministry is working with its partners in the public and private sector to implement the National Digital Economy Programme.”
“One of the most important achievements in 2022 is the work to attract quality technical investments to the Sultanate of Oman. The ministry has attracted more than 300 million riyals in technology investments over the past year. ”
One of the investments is Green Data City, a data hosting center and Oman’s first crypto-mining center worth RO 150 million in investments.
The centre is located in the Dhofar Governorate, and according to Dr Al Shidhani, has the “potential to serve as a model for other green data centers to come up”.
Additionally, the Ministry unveiled an investment by semiconductor manufacturing company, Global Semiconductor Microelectronics, to train 100 Omani youths for jobs in the semiconductor industry.
In 2021 the digital economy contributed to 2 per cent of Oman’s GDP. However, the Ministry aims to raise the sector’s contribution to 3 per cent by 2025, 5 per cent in 2035 and 10 per cent in 2040.
The National Digital Economy Programme, approved by the Council of Ministers in 2021, encapsulates various strategies towards achieving Oman Vision 2040.
In 2022, the Ministry unveiled three main executive programmes: the digital industry programme, the artificial intelligence programme and the national space programme.
Yesterday, the Ministry announced the launch of its newest executive programme, the cybersecurity industry program, with the aim of creating a “specialised cybersecurity industry that will strengthen and diversify the local economy”.
The executive programme will focus on six main pillars: developing cyber security skills, supporting and developing SMEs, promoting innovation, stimulating the market and attracting investors, exporting services and experts, and awareness and promotion.
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