Wednesday 14 / May / 2025
Muscat: The Supervisory Committee for the National E-Commerce Plan convened its first meeting of 2025 at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion headquarters to review progress on the plan’s initiatives.
Chaired by Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, the meeting included representatives from government entities such as the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), Royal Oman Police (ROP), Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Central Bank of Oman (CBO), Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and Consumer Protection Authority.
Dr. Saleh Said Masan, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion's Undersecretary for Commerce and Industry, emphasized the meeting's role in evaluating the plan's implementation, with 73% completion (22 of 30 initiatives) achieved by the end of 2024.
The Undersecretary added that the plan focuses on: Supporting e-commerce companies with competitive telecom services; Streamlining e-procurement and business procedures; Enhancing logistics, digital payments, and legal frameworks and raising awareness and skills development.
He noted that global e-retail sales reached USD 6 trillion in 2024, reflecting the sector's rapid growth. Locally, Oman issued 9,232 e-commerce licenses and certified 204 stores on the Maroof Oman platform post-Ministerial Decision (499/2023) on regulating e-commerce.
Azza Ibrahim Al Kindi, the Ministry's E-Commerce Director, said that these milestones demonstrate accelerated sectoral growth and compliance awareness. The plan—aligned with Oman Vision 2040 and developed with the UNCTAD—aims to position Oman as a regional e-commerce hub by 2027 through strategic digital transformation.
