The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) is the entity responsible for the development and management of economic zones and free zones in the Sultanate of Oman. Aligned with Oman Vision 2040, OPAZ aims to foster a competitive investment environment. In collaboration with RealSoft Advanced Applications, a digital platform was developed to establish a statistical data warehouse that collects, analyzes, and publishes data for over 100 key economic indicators. This initiative supports strategic planning and enhances investment decision-making within these zones.
Challenges
Prior to the implementation of the project, OPAZ faced several challenges in managing statistical data, including:
- Multiple data sources led to inconsistencies in data quality and analysis difficulties
- Lack of a centralized platform for collecting, storing, and analyzing statistical data
- Need for an accurate and up-to-date mechanism to measure the performance of economic and free zones
- Weak data integration between various government entities, affecting the accuracy of statistics
- Absence of advanced tools for presenting and analyzing data flexibly and interactively
Solutions
To overcome these challenges, RealSoft delivered an integrated digital solution that included:
- Developing a centralized data warehouse enabling data integration from various government entities and sources
- Launching a comprehensive digital system for statistical data management based on international standards for classification and analysis
- Utilizing advanced technical solutions, including:
- Al-Khwarizmi for managing electronic surveys.
- RealData Flow for periodic data collection and analysis
- RealData Portal for data publishing to relevant authorities and investors
- Creating interactive dashboards using Power BI for easy analysis and extraction of key indicators
- System integration with major government entities such as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Labor, and the Authority for SMEs Development
Results
The implementation of the project led to several tangible outcomes:
- Enhanced data accuracy through the collection and analysis of reliable and up-to-date economic indicators
- A unified platform that allows authorities and investors to access current data on the performance of economic zones
- Improved analytical capabilities for decision-makers through advanced tools that support effective strategic planning
- Achieved data integration across government entities, contributing to increased transparency and more accurate statistical reporting
- Empowered investment and economic development by providing accurate data to support informed investment decisions
