Oman Hosts SAMENA Leaders AXIS Conference 2026 to Promote Digital Investment and Regional Partnerships

Muscat, The Gulf Observer: Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) hosted the SAMENA Council Leaders AXIS Conference 2026 on Tuesday under the theme “Oman: The New Geography of Digital Investment,” highlighting the Sultanate’s potential to emerge as a regional hub for digital infrastructure, advanced technologies and international investment.

The conference was held under the auspices of Eng. Omar Hamdan Al Ismaili, Chief Executive Officer of Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), bringing together representatives from telecommunications, digital infrastructure, data centres, cloud computing, space technologies, energy and investment sectors.

The event focused on emerging investment opportunities in Oman and the wider Gulf region, with particular emphasis on strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding technical capabilities, developing commercial partnerships and attracting international technology companies to establish and expand their operations in the Sultanate.

Discussions also explored ways to enhance Oman’s position as a gateway to Gulf markets and the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, while creating new opportunities for Omani companies to participate in the rapidly expanding digital economy.

Oman’s strategic geographical location, international connectivity networks, expanding digital infrastructure, data centres and energy resources were highlighted as key advantages for attracting investment. These assets also support the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, which seeks to diversify the national economy and strengthen its competitiveness.

Speaking at the conference, Omantel Chief Executive Officer Eng. Aladdin Bait Fadhil said the emergence of generative artificial intelligence had triggered a technological transformation affecting the entire value chain, from digital infrastructure and data sovereignty to enterprise and consumer applications and a new generation of technology startups.

He said Oman possessed significant assets to capitalise on these developments, including telecommunications networks, digital infrastructure, skilled human resources and a strategic geographical position, supported by the country’s economic and development priorities.

Fadhil emphasised that Omantel’s role was to transform these national and regional assets into tangible economic and commercial opportunities for companies, investors and global technology firms, thereby contributing to the growth of the national economy.

He noted that Omantel had invested in more than 20 international submarine cable systems, while benefiting from the extensive terrestrial network in the Middle East through Zain Omantel International (ZOI).

These investments have strengthened the company’s position as a leading wholesale provider of international telecommunications services and capacity, serving telecommunications operators, global technology companies, content providers and cloud service providers.

ZOI operates across eight markets, drawing on the international connectivity infrastructure of Omantel and Zain, which collectively encompasses approximately 120,000 kilometres of submarine cable networks and direct connectivity to more than 120 cities worldwide.

Fadhil also highlighted Omantel’s commitment to supporting technology entrepreneurship and helping startups expand their operations and access new markets.

Since 2021, Omantel Innovation Labs has supported more than 80 technology startups working in areas such as generative artificial intelligence, enterprise solutions, cybersecurity and data analytics.

Through the initiative, startups receive access to technical expertise, specialised support, industry networks and investors, while gaining opportunities to explore regional expansion and enter new markets.

Fadhil said these initiatives demonstrated the importance of combining investment in digital infrastructure with the development of technical and commercial capabilities to ensure that technological expansion generated greater economic value.

He added that the conference provided an important platform to explore how Oman could capitalise on opportunities associated with digital infrastructure, data, emerging technologies and international telecommunications networks.

For his part, Bocar BA, Chief Executive Officer of the SAMENA Telecommunications Council, said Oman offered substantial opportunities to expand economic activities linked to digital infrastructure.

He stressed that realising this potential required close collaboration among investors, technology companies, national institutions, infrastructure providers and local businesses.

BA highlighted Omantel’s importance in these discussions, noting its role across national telecommunications networks, international infrastructure, technology development, regional operations and support for the growth of Oman’s digital ecosystem.

He said the SAMENA Leaders AXIS Conference aimed to bring stakeholders together to identify investment opportunities, develop partnerships and establish commercial relationships that would contribute directly to Oman’s economic growth.

The conference also examined the relationship between the energy sector and digital infrastructure, particularly amid the rapid expansion of data centres, computing capacity, cloud services and telecommunications networks.

Participants discussed the importance of reliable energy supplies, sustainability and the integration of energy infrastructure with technological development in shaping investment decisions.

The space and satellite sector also received particular attention, with discussions focusing on its development in Oman and opportunities to create new commercial applications and services through telecommunications networks.

These opportunities included ground infrastructure, data services and applications enabled by space technologies, alongside potential partnerships among national institutions, local companies and international organisations.

Participants further emphasised that the benefits of digital investment extended beyond infrastructure construction to include the development of domestic enterprises, enhancement of national technical capabilities, attraction of clients and establishment of sustainable investment models.

The conference enabled Omani institutions and businesses to present domestic market opportunities and investment priorities to international participants. It also provided foreign companies seeking to enter or expand within Oman and the wider region with opportunities to identify prospective partners, explore commercial cooperation and establish long-term investment relationships.

Omantel’s hosting of the conference reflects its role as a member of the SAMENA Telecommunications Council’s Board of Directors and its broader commitment to advancing telecommunications and digital technology at national and regional levels.

Through investments in telecommunications networks, international connectivity, data centres, cloud computing and technology ventures, alongside initiatives supporting Omani startups, the company aims to strengthen regional digital integration and create new opportunities for economic growth.

The conference concluded its discussions with an emphasis on developing international partnerships, mobilising investment and translating Oman’s digital infrastructure advantages into sustainable commercial opportunities, reinforcing the Sultanate’s ambition to serve as a gateway to Gulf markets and a competitive destination for digital investment.