Oman and Algeria will work together to establish data centers and develop AI and digital government initiatives, online news platform Algerie Direct has reported.

Under this bilateral cooperation, the countries will exchange expertise and explore opportunities in digitalization and innovation in line with their governments’ strategies.

No specific data center projects have been announced as of yet.

The agreement took place during a working session between Algeria’s Minister of State for Digital Affairs, Meriem Benmouloud, and the Omani Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, on 5 May.

The meeting was part of Al Maawali’s official visit to Algeria this week, where he signed bilateral cooperation programs for transport, ports, and information technology.

The working session with Benmouloud focused on exploring ways to enhance collaboration in digital transformation and expanding partnerships with Oman, Algerie Direct said.

Benmouloud reviewed Algeria's progress in digital transformation through the launch of structured projects to modernize the administration and develop the country’s digital economy.

Al Maawali shared Oman’s interest in strengthening cooperation with Algeria in this field. He said the sultanate is ready to establish an effective partnership based on innovative approaches grounded in international standards, the news outlet said.

Algeria's data center market is still small and doesn’t have a hyperscaler presence, with only six facilities listed across the country. Despite growing interest by data center developers to expand across Africa, only local players such as HostArts, Ayrade, ICOSNET, and ISSAL offer local hosting services, mostly out of Algiers or Oran.

Last year, the Algerian government started building an AI data center in Oran. The country has said it expects AI to contribute seven percent to its GDP by 2027. President Abdelmajid Tebboune has previously outlined a vision to establish Algeria as a leading force in innovation and digital technology across Africa.

Meanwhile, in Oman, Oracle has two cloud infrastructure regions in Ibri City and Muscat. Equinix, Datamount, and Omani telco Omantel also operate facilities in the sultanate. Equinix and Omantel launched a facility in Salalah last year.

Qatari state-owned telco Ooredoo inaugurated in 2025 a new data center and cable landing station in Salalah, which is also a landing point for the Gulf2Africa (Zain Omantel International, a joint venture between Zain and Omantel, is the landing partner in Oman) and Subcom’s Oman Australia Cable.

Learn more about the data center market in Saudi Arabia and meet with other executives and experts in the region at the DCN Riyadh event next year.