Muscat: Oman Telecommunications Company "Omantel" on Tuesday hosted the " SAMENA Council Leaders AXIS Conference 2026" under the theme "Oman: The New Geography of Digital Investment."
The event was held under the auspices of Eng. Omar Hamdan Al Ismaili, CEO of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).
The conference highlighted promising investment opportunities in digital infrastructure and modern technologies, ways to enhance the Sultanate of Oman's standing as a regional hub for digital investment, and the expansion of economic and technical partnerships with regional and international institutions and companies.
The conference proceedings focused on economic opportunities offered to the Omani market and the Gulf region by rapid developments in these sectors, along with associated prospects to attract further investments in digital infrastructure, build technical capabilities, develop commercial partnerships, and open new avenues for Omani companies, in addition to encouraging international companies to establish operations and expand their presence in the Sultanate of Oman and the Middle East and North Africa region.
These directions carry special importance given the assets possessed by the Sultanate of Oman, led by its strategic geographic location qualifying it to serve as a gateway to Gulf markets, its international connectivity networks, the expansion of its digital infrastructure and data centers, as well as its significant potential in the energy sector. These assets constitute an important base for attracting investments and developing new economic activities, in line with the targets of "Oman Vision 2040" to diversify the national economy and enhance its competitiveness.
Eng. Aladdin Bait Fadhil, CEO of Omantel, stated that with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, we are witnessing for the first time in history a technological revolution whose impacts extend across the entire value chain, starting from digital infrastructure and vital infrastructure with their associated data sovereignty requirements, through the development of enterprise and consumer applications, up to the emergence of a new generation of startups delivering solutions and services within this advanced technological ecosystem.
He added that amidst this transformation, the Sultanate of Oman possesses key assets enabling it to leverage opportunities offered by these technologies, including telecommunication networks, digital infrastructure, human competencies, and a strategic geographic location, alongside its economic and developmental directions. He explained that Omantel's role in the Sultanate of Oman and the region lies in building upon these assets and converting them into economic and commercial opportunities for companies, investors, and global technology firms, thereby benefiting the national economy.
He explained that over past years, Omantel has invested in more than 20 international submarine cable systems, taking advantage as well of the largest terrestrial network in the Middle East region through Zain Omantel International (ZOI). This has solidified its position as a leading wholesale provider of international telecommunications services and capacity in the region, meeting the needs of telecom operators, major global technology companies, content providers, and cloud service providers. He noted that ZOI's business spans eight markets, drawing upon international connectivity capabilities of Omantel and Zain, which encompass approximately 120 thousand kilometres of submarine cable networks and direct connectivity to more than 120 cities worldwide.
He stated that alongside its investments in digital infrastructure and international connectivity, the company accords high importance to developing tech startups and enhancing their growth and expansion capabilities. Furthermore, Omantel Innovation Labs continues to support the tech entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Sultanate of Oman, having contributed since 2021 to supporting more than 80 tech startups operating in fields including generative artificial intelligence, enterprise solutions, cybersecurity, and data analytics. The labs enable these companies to benefit from technical and specialised expertise, build relationships with sector institutions and investors, and explore expansion opportunities and access to new regional markets.
The CEO of Omantel added that these investments and initiatives reflect the importance of linking digital infrastructure development with building technical and commercial capabilities—a theme representing a primary focus of the conference, which discussed how the Sultanate of Oman can further capitalise on economic activities associated with digital infrastructure, data, modern technologies, and international telecom networks, transforming expansion in these fields into investment and commercial opportunities that deliver added value to the national economy.
The Conference serves as a vital platform bringing together various stakeholders, allowing the exploration of ways to integrate these emerging technologies in the Sultanate of Oman and identifying areas of cooperation and partnerships that can be developed during the upcoming phase.
For his part, Bocar BA, CEO of SAMENA Telecommunications Council, stated that the Sultanate of Oman holds vast opportunities to expand economic activities tied to digital infrastructure. Achieving this requires collaboration among investors, technology companies, national institutions, infrastructure providers, and local firms, noting that Omantel holds special significance in these discussions given its role extending across national telecom networks, international infrastructure, technology development, regional presence, and supporting the growth of the Omani digital ecosystem.
He noted that the SAMENA Leaders Conference AXIS seeks to bring these parties together to examine available opportunities and develop relationships, partnerships, and investment activities that directly contribute to supporting economic growth in the Sultanate of Oman.
Omantel's hosting of the conference comes in its capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of the SAMENA Telecommunications Council and as an extension of its role in developing the telecommunications and digital technology sector at local and regional levels. The company anchors this role on its investments in telecom networks, international connectivity, data centers, and cloud computing, alongside its technology investments, regional business, and initiatives supporting Omani tech startups, thereby contributing to enhancing digital ecosystem integration in the region.
Conference discussions extended across several sectors linked to the future of digital investment, foremost among them the energy sector and its relationship with computing infrastructure, amidst accelerated growth in data centers, computing capabilities, cloud services, telecommunication networks, and associated facilities. Discussions covered the importance of energy availability, supply reliability, and sustainability in digital infrastructure investment decisions, as well as the need to achieve integration between technological capacity development and energy infrastructure.
Additionally, the space and satellite sector received dedicated focus during the conference proceedings through a session discussing the sector's evolution in the Sultanate of Oman and opportunities offered by telecom networks to develop new commercial applications and services, including ground infrastructure, data services, and space technology-enabled applications, alongside cooperation opportunities between national institutions, companies, and international entities.
Discussions emphasised that growth opportunities in the Omani market go beyond implementing new infrastructure projects to include developing national companies and capabilities, building partnerships and investment models, attracting clients, and fostering a supportive business environment. These aspects carry significance in determining the volume of economic value achievable from digital investments and the extent to which the national economy benefits from them over the long term.
The Conference allowed Omani institutions and companies to showcase local market opportunities and investment priorities before international participants. It also provided companies seeking to enter the Omani market or expand their operations in the Sultanate of Oman and the region an opportunity to identify potential partners and clients, and explore areas of cooperation in digital infrastructure to establish long-term commercial and investment relationships.
Through this conference, the SAMENA Telecommunications Council and Omantel contributed to providing a platform bringing together national institutions, investors, and international companies to examine cooperation and investment opportunities, thereby enhancing the Sultanate of Oman's standing as a "gateway to the Gulf" and supporting the development of international partnerships that serve mutual interests and contribute to business and digital economy growth.
The conference was attended by representatives from the telecommunications, digital infrastructure, data centres, cloud computing, space technologies and satellites, energy, and investment sectors.