Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Oman joined Arab telecom ministers in Cairo, urging deeper regional cooperation on cybersecurity and digital development. The Sultanate highlighted progress in broadband, digital government, data governance, and AI, as the council approved the creation of a regional artificial intelligence committee to coordinate Arab efforts.
Oman is accelerating its shift toward a cashless economy under Vision 2040, with new government systems and fintech innovation driving inclusion. The launch of GMEC’s Global Pay app enables secure, bank-free digital payments, supporting national digital growth and expanding access for both citizens and expatriates.
Global Money Exchange has launched Global Pay, a mobile payments app powered by Comviva, to accelerate Oman’s shift toward a cashless economy. The platform enables transfers, remittances, bill payments, and QR-based merchant payments without requiring a bank account, strengthening financial inclusion and interoperability across the Sultanate’s digital ecosystem.
Oman climbed to 18th in the Speedtest Global Index after doubling median download speeds in three years. Regulatory reforms, 3G sunset, new competition, and sustained 5G investment lifted coverage to 91 percent, strengthened resilience, and positioned the sultanate among the world’s fastest mobile markets.
AI, real-time payments and embedded finance are reshaping how money moves in Oman. Comviva CEO Rajesh Chandiramani says gamification, cybersecurity and mobile-first platforms are redefining financial services, with the launch of Global Pay Oman marking a key milestone in the country’s digital payments journey.
Thawani Pay has partnered with Network International to expand credit card capabilities and accelerate Oman’s digital payments ecosystem. Following its Visa issuing licence, the fintech will leverage Network’s enterprise-grade processing to launch app-first cards, strengthen financial inclusion, and support Oman Vision 2040’s push toward a cashless economy.
Thawani Pay has partnered with Network International to expand credit card capabilities and accelerate digital payments in Oman. The agreement follows Thawani Pay becoming the country’s first fintech to secure a Visa issuing license, supporting Oman Vision 2040 and strengthening financial inclusion through secure, scalable card infrastructure.
Oman’s mobile market has surged in global rankings as regulatory reform, competition, and heavy 5G investment doubled median speeds and expanded coverage to 91%. With 6,671 5G sites and strong subsea redundancy, the country now outperforms many Gulf peers in speed and network resilience.
Oman has invested $8.8bn in transport, logistics, and digital infrastructure, driving rapid sector transformation. The funding has expanded ports, cargo capacity, and public service digitization, strengthened workforce localization, and improved execution of major projects, reinforcing Oman’s position as a regional logistics and digital hub.
Omantel has completed Oman’s transition to a full 5G Standalone network, enabling ultra-low latency, network slicing, and advanced IoT services. The seamless upgrade unlocks new enterprise and consumer use cases, from private networks to smarter industry, positioning Oman to compete as a regional digital hub.