Muscat, Oman: The New Age Banking Summit 2026, one of Oman’s leading platforms for dialogue and collaboration across the banking, finance, fintech and technology sectors, was held under the theme “Banking in The Intelligence Age: AI, Resilience & Real-Time Finance.”

The Summit brought together senior regulators, banking leaders, technology experts, innovators and decision-makers to explore the future of financial services in an era shaped by artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital transformation, real-time finance, data-driven decision-making and sustainable growth.

The event was graced by His Excellency Ahmed bin Jaafar bin Salim Al Musalmi, Governor of the Central Bank of Oman, as the Chief Guest.

Organised by United Media Services, NABS 2026 opened with a Welcome Address by Mr. Atulya Sharma, CEO, United Media Services, who highlighted the importance of innovation, resilience and leadership in shaping the future of banking. This was followed by the Keynote Address from His Excellency Ahmed Al Musalmi, Governor of the Central Bank of Oman, who shared forward-looking insights into the evolution of Oman’s banking and financial services sector, with emphasis on trust, regulatory foresight, digital transformation, talent development and sustainable economic growth.

The programme also featured a keynote by Mr. Mustahil Ahmed Al Mamari, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Banks Association, who outlined the future direction of the banking sector. Additional keynote and presentation sessions were delivered by Mr. Ken Habson, Regional Software Technology Leader, IBM/GBM, and Mr. Hassan Al Lawati, Technology Advisor, OTech, who addressed themes related to AI, cloud, cybersecurity, automation, enterprise technology and digital transformation.

A key highlight of the Summit was the Oman Banking & Finance Awards 2026, which recognised institutions and organisations that have demonstrated excellence, innovation, transformation and leadership across banking, finance, technology, digital payments, investment, credit infrastructure and enterprise solutions.

Oman Banking & Finance Awards 2026 Winners

• The award for National Leadership Award in Cloud, Data & AI Infrastructure – Driving Oman Vision 2040 Digital Economy Transformation was presented to OTech.
• The award for National Banking Excellence & Leadership was presented to Bank Muscat.
• The award for Excellence in Financial Growth & Market Resilience was presented to National Finance.
• The award for Best Digital Bank of the Year was presented to Sohar International.
• The award for Outstanding Contribution to Oman’s Enterprise Technology was presented to GBM Oman.
• The award for Excellence in Corporate Banking was presented to ahlibank.
• The award for Best Business Mobile Banking Application was presented to Alizz Connect by Alizz Islamic Bank.
• The award for Best Enterprise-wide AI Technology Implementation was presented to Alfa Bank.
• The award for National Excellence in Digital Business Transformation was presented to Infoline LLC.
• The Enterprise Banking Platform Award was presented to BankDhofar.
• The award for Emerging Investment Bank of the Year was presented to Oman Investment Bank.
• The award for Digital Wallet Excellence in Consumer Payments was presented to Khedmah Pay.
• The award for Islamic Bank of the Year was presented to Bank Nizwa.
• The award for Excellence in Exchange-Traded Mutual Fund Innovation was presented to Oman Gateway Fund by United Securities.
• The award for National Excellence in Credit Information Infrastructure Award was presented to Mala’a.
• The award for Enterprise AI and Secure Infrastructure Leadership Award was presented to Cisco.
• The award for Digital Finance Transformation Company of the Year was presented to Taageer Finance.
• The award for Housing Finance Institution of the Year was presented to Oman Housing Bank.
• The award for Banking Ecosystem Advancement Award was presented to Oman Banks Association.
• The award for Excellence in Digital Banking Initiative for the Year 2026 was presented to ahlibank.
• The award for Best Urban SUV of the Year was presented to Changan UNI-S 4WD.
• The award for Innovative Digital Learning Product for Banks with a Social Relevance was presented to RAB Consulting.
• The award for Best Bank in the Mid-Size Banks Category was presented to Bank Nizwa.
• The award for Best Finance & Leasing Company in Oman was presented to Taageer Finance.
• The award for Best Bank in the Large Banks Segment was jointly presented to Bank Muscat and Sohar International.

Following the awards ceremony, the Summit featured a panel discussion titled “Real-Time Finance, Real-World Risk: Rethinking Banking for a New Era.” The discussion explored how financial institutions can balance speed with security, innovation with responsibility, and digital ambition with real-world execution. The panel addressed key themes including cybersecurity, data governance, operational resilience, regulatory readiness, customer trust, AI adoption and the future of real-time financial services.

The panel was moderated by Dr. Aju Samuel, Organization Strategy & Corporate Governance Specialist and Head of Strategy & CVC at Taageer Finance. The distinguished panellists included Mr. Jack Sienkiewicz, Chief Revenue Officer, OTech; Ms. Maryam Al Lawati, Senior Business Development Executive, Mala’a; Mr. Abdullah Al Anburi, EVP & Head of Fintech, Sohar International; Mr. Sadiq Al Lawati, Country Head, Cisco; and Mr. Imran Awan, Head of Transaction Banking, Bank Nizwa.

The final presentation of the day was delivered by Mr. Imran Awan, Head of Transaction Banking, Bank Nizwa, who shared insights into transaction banking and the evolving role of digital and real-time financial solutions in supporting corporate clients and the wider banking ecosystem.

The Summit was supported by a strong line-up of partners, including Endorsement Partners – the Central Bank of Oman and Oman Banks Association; Strategic Partners – Sohar International, GBM, Cisco and ACSC, and Taageer Finance; Platinum Partner – Oman Investment Bank; Gold Partners – Alizz Islamic Bank and ahlibank; Islamic Banking Partner – Bank Nizwa; Technology Partner – OTech; Digital Payments Partner – Khedmah Pay; Associate Partners – Infoline, Alfa Bank, United Securities and United GCC Fund; Support Partner – Mala’a; Automotive Partner – Changan; Audit Partner – Leaderly Auditors & Consultants; Media Partners – OER and Alam Al-Iktisaad; and Digital Partner – UMS Digital.