ODP aims to raise ICT contribution to GDP

KABEER YOUSUF

@kabeeryousef

Oman Data Park (ODP), the first managed and Cloud Service Provider in Oman, besides cyber security, is targeting a 10 per cent contribution from information and communication technology (ICT) to GDP in accordance with the Vision 2040, against its current 2.5-3 per cent share, according to Maqbool al Wahabi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Data Park.

Speaking to the Observer on the sidelines of the 4th Edition of the OERLive DX 2024 held under the auspices of Engineer Bader al Maamari, Secretary-General of the Tender Board, which focuses on Digital Transformation of the Oil and Gas, Power & Water sectors, Al Wahabi said that ODP is growing 19 to 20 percent year on year and it is expected to grow even faster, after 13 years of establishment, and is hugely contributing to the value addition to the economy.

"Today ODP is contributing at the rate of 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent to the GDP and we are targeting 10 per cent contribution of ICT towards 2040 in congruence with the Oman Vision 2040. We are moving in the right direction and we have KPIs, a roadmap and a dashboard towards the future and we are optimistic towards getting the right opportunity," the CEO said, adding that ODP as an industry, has a lot to do but not as ODP.

"We have different hyperscalers and partners that we are working today and trying to attract to Oman like Amazon AWS, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, who are existing in Oman to provide diversified cloud portfolio and those who are provided within the data center to preserve the data in order for us to maintain the data residency mandate of the country so that data is not migrating out of the country." In terms of job creation, Maqbool said young, skilled Omanis are required for ODP where they are taken, trained and retained to meet the goals and help them become better technical persons.

The 'Sahab' trainee programme comes within the framework of ODP's commitment to boost its corporate social responsibility by contributing to the professional development of the Omani workforce, with the selection stage of the programme covering15 out of 25 job opportunities.

Oman Data Park is considered to be one of the value creators within the value chain in telecom, technology, and both public and private sectors which are system integrated around providing IoT, AI, and other technology related softwares and hardwares.

ODP had 5 data centers across Oman managing 10 megawatt of total power and providing infrastructures to enable cloud services.

The conference, held in the presence of Sheikh Faisal Abdullah al Rawas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, featured more than 20 influential speakers from diverse sectors, offering deep insights into the dynamic world of digital transformation. The discussions centered on cutting-edge technologies shaping the future, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Big Data, Tokenization, Open Banking, and Data-driven Risk Analytics.