A nation’s digital journey is often measured by its grand visions and future-facing goals. But the real story is in the meticulous, day-to-day work that builds the foundations.
In Oman, that story begins with “Tahawul,” a national program that is not just modernizing government services but is fundamentally reshaping how the public sector operates and serves its people.
Launched in 2021, the National Programme for Government Digital Transformation—known as “Tahawul”—was conceived as the essential first step in realizing the broader ambitions of Oman Vision 2040. Its mission: to build a sustainable, knowledge-based society and a modern, efficient digital government.
The Blueprint: A Multi-Faceted Strategy
The Tahawul program’s strategy is built on four core pillars, each designed to address a different aspect of the transformation journey.
Community Participation and Awareness: The final pillar focuses on engaging citizens and businesses and raising awareness to ensure widespread adoption of digital services.
Excellence in E-Services: This track is focused on the direct digitization of government services to provide a rewarding and user-friendly digital experience.
Efficiency of Digital Solutions and Infrastructure: This pillar addresses the technical backbone, aiming to modernize digital infrastructure and promote shared platforms to reduce costs and improve overall efficiency.
Empowering National Capabilities: Recognizing that technology is only an enabler, this track is dedicated to building digital competencies among national cadres and managing the transition to new digital systems.
The Engine of Change: Key Platforms and Initiatives
To execute this vision, the program has deployed a series of centralized platforms and initiatives that have become the engine of change.
The Government Unified Portal for E-Government Services is a central digital platform that provides a single, accessible entry point for citizens to interact with the government. As of mid-2025, it hosted 23 services from various government agencies, while the
OmanNet electronic payment gateway facilitated an impressive 14.5 million digital transactions in the first quarter of 2025 alone. In addition, a collaborative initiative called
Manjam Labs has been credited with streamlining procedures for 381 government services, making them simpler and more efficient for the end-user.
Quantifiable Success: The Proof in the Numbers
The progress of the Tahawul program can be quantified through its remarkable performance metrics, which show consistent and rapid growth since its launch.
| Metric | 2023 Performance | Late 2024 Performance | Mid-2025 Performance |
| Overall Performance Rate | 53% | 73% | 80% |
| Priority Services Digitized | – | 67% | 74% |
| Services Simplified | – | 93% | 96% |
| Digital Transactions | 9.4M (2023) | 26.9M (Jan-Nov 2024) | 11.4M (Jan-May 2025) |
This acceleration is a clear indicator that the program is not only meeting its goals but is also driving a fundamental shift in citizen behavior. The volume of digital transactions soared from 9.4 million in 2023 to over 26.9 million by late 2024, a testament to the public’s growing trust and reliance on these new digital services.
This success has also gained international validation, with Oman advancing nine positions in the United Nations E-Government Development Index to rank 41st globally in 2024.
Case Study: The Transformation of Muscat Governorate
The program’s success is perhaps best illustrated at the local level. The Muscat Governorate has been ranked in the “Advanced Tier” for digital transformation within the Tahawul program after it successfully streamlined and digitized 24 essential municipal services.
This real-world example demonstrates the tangible impact of the program on the daily lives of citizens and businesses. Services like the issuance of building permits, the authentication of lease contracts, and the refund of security deposits, once a manual process requiring physical visits, are now available digitally through platforms like the “Baladiati” mobile application.
This transformation has not only improved efficiency and transparency but has also created a more accessible and modern governance model for Muscat’s residents.
Conclusion: The Foundation is Set
The National Programme for Government Digital Transformation, “Tahawul,” has successfully created the essential “hardware” of Oman’s digital government: a robust infrastructure, streamlined services, and a culture of efficiency.
By focusing on these core elements and delivering quantifiable results, the program has created the necessary foundation for future advancements.
It is a clear and compelling case of how a nation can move beyond aspiration to a tangible, data-driven reality, setting the stage for the next and equally crucial phase of its digital evolution.
