Oman digitizes over 2,000 government services in digital economy push

MUSCAT — Oman has digitized more than 2,000 government services between 2021 and 2025 as part of a broader push to expand its digital economy, government officials said, driving 48 million digital transactions in 2025 — a 78% increase over 2024. The Sultanate is targeting growth of the digital sector from roughly 2% of GDP today to 3% by 2025 and a long-term goal of 10% by 2040.

"Oman ranks second in the Gulf, third in the Arab world, and 18th globally among the fastest-growing countries in the digital economy," said Dr Ali bin Amer al Shidani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, citing the Global Digital Economy Report 2026 issued by the International Data Center Association.

The announcement, made during a Ramadhan session, placed the National Digital Economy Programme at the centre of the government’s strategy. Approved by the Council of Ministers, the programme runs in parallel with Oman Vision 2040 and has led to the digital economy being named an independent pillar in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. Dr Al Shidhani said these steps align national policy with the global move toward innovation- and technology-led economic models and will be backed by improved data collaboration with the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

Recent progress and measurable impacts

• Services digitized: more than 2,000 government services (2021–2025).
• Digital transactions: 48 million in 2025, up 78% from 2024.
• Employment in IT: 1,289 Omani nationals in 2025 across 33 specific technical professions.
• National targets: increase digital economy share of GDP from ~2% to 3% by 2025 and to 10% by 2040.
• International ranking: 2nd in the Gulf, 3rd in the Arab world, 18th globally (Global Digital Economy Report 2026).

The Global Digital Economy Report 2026 underlines the economic weight of digital investments — including ICT equipment, software and databases — and estimates that the digital economy could grow globally by 9.5% in 2026, outpacing the IMF's GDP growth forecast by more than three times. The report projects the digital economy may represent roughly 22% of global GDP in 2026, with a value near US$28 trillion.

Domestically, officials point to both digital service adoption and workforce development as dual priorities. Dr Al Shidhani noted that the government anticipates the digital share of GDP could rise further "as the digital experience develops and more accurate data becomes available in partnership with the National Centre for Statistics and Information." The inclusion of the digital economy in national planning frameworks also signals resource allocation and policy attention toward scaling infrastructure, skills development and regulatory frameworks.

Outlook

Oman’s recently reported figures suggest the country is moving from planning to implementation. Continued digitization of public services and the expansion of technical jobs are likely to be key indicators to watch in the near term as the Sultanate pursues its 2025 and 2040 targets. International projections of sustained digital-sector growth provide a favourable external context, but Omani officials have signalled that improved measurement and data-driven policy will be essential to convert ambition into a larger share of national output.