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$16b Total Assets of Oman’s Islamic Banking Sector

The headquarters of the Central Bank of Oman in the capital, Muscat. (Getty Images)
The headquarters of the Central Bank of Oman in the capital, Muscat. (Getty Images)
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$16b Total Assets of Oman’s Islamic Banking Sector

The headquarters of the Central Bank of Oman in the capital, Muscat. (Getty Images)
The headquarters of the Central Bank of Oman in the capital, Muscat. (Getty Images)

The total assets of Oman’s Islamic banking sector, including Islamic banks and windows operating in the sultanate, jumped by 9.1 percent year-on-year to reach at RO6.4 billion ($16.6 billion) by late September 2022.

Oman’s Islamic banking assets now account for 16.2 percent of the country’s total banking system assets, according to latest data released by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO).

According to Oman’s official news agency ONA, the total balance of financing granted by the sector also increased by 11.8 percent to about RO5.3 billion ($13.7 billion).

The total deposits held with Islamic banks and windows also increased by 12.5 percent to RO4.8 billion ($12.5 billion) in September.

Meanwhile, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) upgraded the country’s credit rating from “BB-”to “BB”, with stable future outlook due to its improved fiscal performance.

The rating agency underlined in its credit rating report on Saturday the sultanate’s improved performance in the balance of payments, measures undertaken by the government within the Medium Term Fiscal Plan (MTFP) and a rise in oil prices as factors projecting positive outlook, coupled with the improvement in the net asset position in 2023.

It expected a decline in the public debt rate vis-à-vis the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 61% in 2021 to 44% in 2022.

The agency also projected a rise in Oman’s revenues over the next two years, along with sustained fiscal surplus in its budget for 2024, which will enhance levels of the country’s financial reserves and achieve a 5.8% financial surplus over the GDP in 2022.

It expected the sultanate’s current account to post a 5.2% surplus vis-à-vis the GDP, compared to deficits of 4.9% and 16.2% in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

It said that economic growth in Oman will be supplemented by a projected rise in hydrocarbon production, improved investment rates and government measures directed at supporting society and the private sector.

S&P further expected Oman’s GDP to pick up by about 4% in 2022 and 3% in 2023.

Meanwhile, non-oil activities are scheduled to be the prime motivator of growth over the coming years, according to S&P, which projects a private sector growth of 1.8% in 2022 and 2.5% over the period 2024-2025.

The international agency commended the government’s tangible efforts in consolidating the principle of transparency and disclosure of financial statements and GDP data through the publication of regular circulars.

S&P noted that Oman’s credit rating may persist in its upward trend, provided measures to enhance the State’s financial position are maintained by channeling more financial surplus into the public debt reduction course and augmenting fiscal flexibility to help address any unexpected crises or upheavals.

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Saudi Arabia's Digital Advertising Boom: Addressing Economic Leakage, Boosting Local Content

A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia's Digital Advertising Boom: Addressing Economic Leakage, Boosting Local Content

A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s digital advertising sector is experiencing rapid growth, but a significant portion of its revenues is leaking to foreign platforms. To maximize the impact on the national economy, experts are calling for strategies to curb this outflow and redirect it to local channels.

The importance of retaining digital ad revenues lies in the substantial size of this market. It is estimated that approximately $1 billion in ad spent is lost annually to foreign platforms, representing a considerable loss to Saudi Arabia’s economy.

Dr. Ebada Al-Abbad, CEO of Marketing and Communications at Tadafuq, a Saudi digital advertising network, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the problem stems from the fact that although advertisers, products, and audiences are often local, the largest share of financial gains goes to foreign platforms. He estimated that 70-80% of the $1.5 billion spent on digital advertising in Saudi Arabia in 2022 went to global platforms such as Google and Facebook. This results in the national economy losing nearly $1 billion annually from this sector alone.

Al-Abbad noted that government agencies in Saudi Arabia also contribute to the outflow. He explained that public sector spending on digital advertising, intended to raise awareness among citizens and residents, frequently ends up on foreign platforms. Government spending makes up about 20-25% of the total digital ad market in the Kingdom, meaning hundreds of millions of riyals leave the country annually, weakening the local digital economy.

Al-Abbad argues that Saudi Arabia needs strong local digital ad networks to keep this revenue within the national economy. These networks would help create jobs, drive innovation, and promote cultural diversity in digital content. Developing local platforms would also enhance Saudi Arabia’s digital sovereignty by ensuring that data remains within the country and is not controlled by foreign entities.

Moreover, local networks would reduce dependence on international platforms, ensuring that the economic benefits of digital advertising remain in the Kingdom, he said, stressing that this would align with Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 goals, which emphasize building a robust, diversified economy driven by local industries and digital transformation.

Globally, the digital advertising sector is growing rapidly. In 2022, worldwide spending on digital ads reached $602 billion, and it is projected to hit $876 billion by 2026. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the digital ad market grew to $5.9 billion in 2022, with Saudi Arabia’s market accounting for over $1.5 billion.

In other countries, the digital ad sector plays a crucial role in boosting national economies. For example, in the United States, the digital advertising industry contributed $460 billion to the GDP in 2021, about 2.1% of the total. In the UK, the sector accounted for 1.8% of GDP in 2022. This shows how important digital advertising can be in driving economic growth.

One of the key challenges facing Saudi Arabia’s digital ad sector is the dominance of global platforms like Google and Facebook, which control 60% of the global digital ad market, Al-Abbad told Asharq Al-Awsat. This dominance results in a significant outflow of revenue and allows these platforms to control digital data and content. He warned that this could undermine Saudi Arabia’s national sovereignty over its digital economy.

To counter this, he emphasized that Saudi Arabia needs to build competitive local networks that can retain a larger share of the market. This will not only keep more revenue in the country but also strengthen the Kingdom’s control over its digital data and content.