Oman has made notable progress in the 2024 Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index (GEMS), increasing its score to 72%, up from 66% in 2023. The report, released by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), assesses digital government performance across 17 Arab countries, focusing on service availability and development, service uptake and satisfaction, and government outreach and engagement.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) topped the index with impressive scores of 96% and 95%, respectively, highlighting significant advancements in their national digital transformation efforts. The GEMS index evaluates sectors such as health, education, transportation, finance, justice, trade, tourism, and social affairs.
Oman’s digital maturity saw improvements across several key pillars. The score for service availability and development rose to 80%, from 76.64% in 2023. Service uptake and satisfaction increased to 63%, compared to 51.95% last year, while government outreach and engagement climbed from 73.78% to 78%.
The report also highlighted improvements in Oman’s service development indicators. The development level of electronic portals surged to 94% from 84.45% in 2023. User satisfaction with these portals increased to 89%, up from 76.44%. Mobile application availability rose to 60%, up from 49.97%, and user satisfaction with mobile platforms improved to 62%, compared to 47.76% in the previous year.
Nawar al Awa, ESCWA’s GEMS project lead, pointed out that while the region is progressing, a significant digital divide persists. The gap between countries with advanced digital infrastructure and those in the early stages of development widened from 91% in 2023 to 95% in 2024. This divide is largely attributed to disparities in resources and challenges in adopting emerging technologies.
