3 days ago
ICV strategy unlocks $1.8 billion in energy sector contracts for Omani SMEs
MUSCAT: Oman's In-Country Value (ICV) strategy delivered strong results in 2024, driving job creation and deepening economic localisation across the energy and mining sectors, according to the Ministry of Energy and Minerals' annual report.
The Ministry confirmed that spending on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reached $1.8 billion last year—accounting for 17.2% of total procurement in the energy sector. The overall ICV rate across the sector stood at 31.9%, underscoring efforts to retain more value within Oman's economy and promote domestic supply chains.
Employment growth was a key outcome. The oil and gas sector achieved a national Omanisation rate of 89%, employing over 17,900 Omanis in 2024. Leading operators such as Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and Daleel Petroleum surpassed the 90% mark, collectively hiring more than 1,400 nationals during the year.
The mining sector also expanded its local workforce, reaching a 23% Omanisation rate, with approximately 900 Omani employees across its activities. Strategic projects such as the Al-Ghuzayn and Al Wash-hi copper developments are contributing directly to employment, with the former alone committing to 50 Omani jobs in its first phase.
'These figures reflect a deliberate shift from extractive revenue to inclusive economic impact,' the report stated, noting that localisation targets are now embedded in major energy and mineral contracts.
To formalise these gains, the Ministry launched the 'Majd' programme in 2024 as a unified platform for ICV across the energy and minerals value chain. It also introduced the ICV Certificate system—currently in pilot phase and set for full rollout in 2025—aimed at rewarding companies that demonstrate high local content performance with bidding privileges.
As part of the broader strategy, 23 specialised service contracts—including leak detection, oil tank cleaning, and hydrogen sulfide handling—were awarded to local firms, boosting SME participation in technical and industrial services.
Since the inception of Oman's ICV policy in 2013, over 100 local workshops and industrial facilities have been established, and more than $400 million in localisation opportunities have been implemented.
The report concluded that the combination of targeted policies, procurement reform, and national workforce integration is positioning Oman to transition toward a more sustainable, diversified, and resilient energy economy—core pillars of Oman Vision 2040.
