The Oman Business Platform - Observatory of Public Sector Innovation

A flourishing private sector is essential to the development of Oman’s economy. Encouraging and helping foreign entrepreneurs and investors to set up and run businesses in Oman is vital to achieving this objective. The Oman Business Platform is a one-stop-shop platform that provides fast and easy access to all relevant e-services for foreign investors planning to set up and manage companies, helping to make Oman one of the most welcoming and efficient business environments in the world.

Innovation Summary

Innovation Overview

The Oman Business Platform was created to give investors a single point of access to information and every Government e-service they may need, from setting up a new company and licensing its activities, to submitting annual reports online. The Platform has revolutionized business registration – it promotes paperless transactions, and its inclusive design, multilingual support and robust security measures make it a model for streamlined business registration.

It has three main elements:
• A brand new mobile app which allows investors to establish and manage their businesses in Oman from the palm of their hand, using facial recognition technology.
• The platform supports the first successful implementation of a Know Your Customer (KYC) solution in the government sector. Comprehensive KYC checks are completed with the support of facial recognition and biometric technology, allowing foreign investors to log into the platform from anywhere in the world in a few simple steps.
• An interactive, machine learning-driven user guide helps investors understand the process of setting up and running a business in Oman.
Through the new app, users can search for the availability of a company name or trademark, and track the status of their application. Integration of other business departments means that users can also use the app to search for suitable business space in Oman and acquire a lease. Within the investment guide, a simulation function allows users to simulate the creation of a company before they start their own application, so they know exactly what to expect before starting the process of setting up their business.

The Platform epitomizes best practice in e-government transformation:
• It provides a secure single point of contact and authentication for users.
• It is designed around the people who use it – the services are relevant, and the customer experience is intuitive.
• It is built with the future in mind – it can be easily scaled up or adapted as new innovations emerge.

The Platform has significantly reduced bureaucratic hurdles and administrative complexities. Investors and entrepreneurs can now complete all necessary registrations and administration without the need to deal with multiple Government entities and departments. The project is a model for other nations seeking to enhance their business registration processes through e-government solutions.

Innovation Description

What Makes Your Project Innovative?

The Oman Business Platform has reinvented the way in which governments and businesses interact, by providing a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs based around the principles of a seamless, proactive, intuitive user journey.

As well as helping to create one of the most welcoming business environments in the world, the innovation has eliminated a significant barrier for foreign investors wishing to set up or manage a business in Oman. Before the Platform was launched, internationally-agreed Know Your Customer authentication requirements meant that foreign investors were often prevented from accessing and using Oman’s business registration services. The new KYC solution, combined with the mobile app, means that foreign investors can set up and manage their new business quickly and easily, from anywhere in the world, using facial recognition technology.

What is the current status of your innovation?

An early version of the Invest Easy Platform was launched in 2016 and proved extremely popular with users. The refreshed portal and mobile app with KYC and facial recognition features was launched in 2023.

Innovation Development

Collaborations & Partnerships

Several stakeholders contributed to the success of the Oman Business Platform during the design phase. Input from government officials was critical to our understanding of the constitution and investment policies. Later on, we trialled multiple options with the leading investors and foreign company representatives in Oman. The business community was also involved, sharing their feedback in order to improve the system development and commissioning.

Users, Stakeholders & Beneficiaries

Business owners, entrepreneurs and investors in Oman have access to a secure, more efficient, lower-cost experience.

The Omani Government saves time and resources as most users of its services are able to interact digitally, and has the security of a flexible and future-proof infrastructure. The launch of the Platform will also help to achieve Oman’s aims of greater economic diversification by creating a transparent, accessible, business-friendly environment.

Innovation Reflections

Results, Outcomes & Impacts

The Platform has significantly improved the efficiency of the government’s services. The number of steps in the process of setting up a business has been reduced from fifteen to three, and a business can now be set up in a matter of minutes rather than weeks. Approximately 30,000 foreign investors have begun the process of starting or managing their business through the app.

The Platform is part of Oman’s ambitious digitalization and transformation of its government services. The quality and ease of use of its digital services is widely recognized; Oman has risen up the eGovernment Development Index from 98th place in 2003 to 50th place in 2022, and the number of Commercial Registrations of new businesses has quadrupled since 2010.

Challenges and Failures

The success of the project depended to a significant extent on the readiness of other government agencies in Oman to integrate and share their data. This was addressed by agreeing on a common goal, and by gaining leadership commitment from all ministries.

Several technical challenges were observed during the implementation phase, which were mitigated with better communication and close collaboration with the technical team members of the implementation partner (Nortal), beneficiary (Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion) and IT regulator (Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology).

Conditions for Success

Policy and the appropriate regulation to support the innovation.
Leadership buy-in and support from all stakeholders.
Enforcement to use digital channels to start a company.
Supporting infrastructure and technology readiness.

Replication

Oman’s digitalization program and transformation of its government services is a blueprint that can be replicated by governments elsewhere in the world. From paper to palm: Oman's e-government blueprint empowers citizens, businesses, and investors. An integrated suite of e-services brings benefits to governments, citizens, businesses and visitors by creating more efficient and accessible information and services and cutting costs thus improving investor confidence.

The project illustrates the success of a people-centric approach, where the user experience is intuitive, relevant and based around the Investor journey.