Qatar Internet Of Things (IoT) - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

Qatar Internet Of Things (IoT) - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The Qatar Internet Of Things Market size is estimated at USD 1.01 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.47 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 27.92% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

Key Highlights

• Of all the Arab countries, Qatar is one of the few that can be termed technologically advanced. The country witnesses a high rate of innovation, starting from IoT, virtual reality, robotics, and the most recent, 5G. As part of its long-term vision and strategy, Qatar aims to become one of the smartest countries in the Middle East. Given the high internet and smartphone penetration levels, the country is poised to grow in technology readiness and is highly willing to adopt new technologies.
• In February 2023, VMware Inc. declared that Vodafone Qatar selected both VMware Telco Cloud Platform-5G Edition and VMware Cloud Foundation with Tanzu for its modern cloud platform. This alliance deployed the power of 5G, cloud, IoT, and modern applications to bring new solutions to the market to fulfill the country’s digitization ambitions in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
• The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) in Qatar established Tasmu Digital Valley as an innovation cluster where multiple sectors can work together to achieve the goal of Smart Qatar. Tasmu Digital Valley is a smart platform that connects startups, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, academics, students, multinational corporations, and institutions to innovate new digital solutions. IoT as a component is 40% of the Tasmu Smart Qatar use cases. Such factors are proliferating the IoT market in the country.
• Moreover, the government is launching various initiatives to grow the country's IoT market. For instance, The Qatar Mobility Innovations Center (QMIC), the first independent innovations center in the region with a focus on developing and deploying smart mobility services and systems, developed Labeeb IoT. QMIC's main goal is to use locally engineered innovations and knowledge to create technology-based industries that address regional challenges and grow with mega projects in Qatar and the region.
• Further, QMIC has been delivering IoT platforms and services across several vertical domains, including road safety, environment, logistics, telematics, and intelligent transport. In addition, QMIC is working with major global and national market players and stakeholders to create a market-focused innovation ecosystem in the region.
• Moreover, the increasing efforts from the regulatory authorities in the country are expected to drive the market at a rapid pace. In March 2024, Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB) and the Qatar Financial Center Authority (QFCA) signed an MoU for collaboration in the fintech sector across the region. This alliance will assist startups in strategizing their expansion moves into Bahrain and Qatar. Further, this will facilitate their deployment of technologies, including cloud and IoT, for growth purposes across the regions.
• The increase in the elderly population results in an increasing burden of chronic health diseases. This results in a decrease in physical activity and loss of mobility. This significantly creates the need for Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE) tracking and response to support patients' mobility through sensors and provide immediate response in emergencies. This IoT application could provide rapid medical assistance, especially for the elderly, by developing sensors monitoring patient health and movement. The system is connected to caregivers and emergency response teams to provide assistance based on patient location.

Qatar IoT Market Trends

Increase in Adoption of Smart Homes Projects

• The increasing adoption of smart home projects in the country is analyzed to impact the market's growth positively. Moreover, the growing efforts by market vendors in terms of 5G connectivity will significantly expand the horizon of smart homes in the country, thus positively impacting the market's growth.
• The demand for smart appliances and control and connectivity solutions is also strong. There is also growing interest in smart gadgets that aid energy management, underscoring the country's commitment to going green. In Qatar, smart home solutions providers like QSmart Souq and Al-Tamyeez Security Company are offering products to help transform Qatari homes.
• There are growing internet users in the country, driving IoT space in Qatar. With digital awareness among consumers, there is a growing demand for services that can cater to their convenience. The use of smart devices allows for the monitoring of electricity, and home security systems enable the prevention of threats and alert owners to any risk. As per a report by Digital 2023 Qatar, there were 4.75 million active cellular mobile connections in the region at the start of 2024.
• Qatar has emerged as one of the leading countries in terms of 5G network coverage. Moreover, the high internet and smartphone penetration are expected to drive major telecom players' 5G deployment efforts. 5G has enormous potential to significantly impact how IoT ecosystems are designed, specifically in terms of reliability, scalability, latency, security, and the level of individual control on connectivity parameters. For instance, according to data from GSMA Intelligence, 5G adoption was expected to cross 20% in Qatar by November 2023.
• Further, cellular IoT deployments in the country are accelerating across connected cars, utilities, and home automation, and with 5G on the horizon, IoT adoption is likely to grow even faster. Network providers across Qatar are increasingly offering 5G connectivity and 5G-enabled devices. Such developments are further expected to drive the application of IoT in smart home projects during the forecast period.

The Transportation and Logistics is Expected to Hold Significant Share

• The transportation and logistics segment is expected to hold a significant share of the IoT market in Qatar. As Qatar's transportation infrastructure grows, an increase in traffic-related problems such as traffic congestion, safety, and pollution has become inevitable. This will necessitate the implementation of sensory infrastructure to collect data about traffic conditions and make the appropriate changes. Other IoT use cases include connected transport networks, road-to-vehicle communication, and public transportation social listening.
• There is a growing requirement for IoT in the transport and logistics segment due to the rise of cargo handling in Qatar ports. For instance, the bulk and general cargoes stood at 137,518 tonnes in December 2023 through the three ports, compared to 94,990 tonnes in November 2023, which saw 45% growth every month.
• Vehicles in Qatar operate in silos despite being the major cause of traffic congestion and road incidents. There is a significant potential to decrease congestion and collisions by connecting vehicles to the infrastructure. With the usage of IoT, vehicles could receive real-time roadway information from central traffic management systems. The vehicles can recognize high-risk situations in advance, resulting in driver alerts and warnings through specific actions.
• Further, the drivers could be made aware of their surroundings, such as traffic lights, traffic signals, parking lots, and emergencies, to act accordingly. This could open significant opportunities in connected vehicles (V2V), real-time crowd and transportation management, and mobility contextual pre-advice.
• The country is investing in partnerships and alliances to build and modernize its transportation system. For instance, in August 2023, NEC Corporation India announced a partnership with Mowasalat to facilitate innovative transportation solutions for tournament bus services in Qatar. This alliance planned the implementation of Intelligent Transportation Management Solutions (ITMS) in the Tournament Bus Services (TBS). They envisioned to transform the commute experience for millions of football fans.

Qatar IoT Industry Overview

The Qatari IoT market appears to be moderately fragmented due to the presence of significant technological giants. Key strategies adopted by the major players in the market are product innovation and mergers and acquisitions. Some of the major players in the market are Labeeb IoT (Qatar Mobility Innovations Center), Ooredoo QPSC, Vodafone Qatar PQSC, Cisco Systems Inc., etc.

April 2024: Ooredoo Group, an international communication company, signed an MoU with Nokia to enhance and upgrade business connectivity with advanced 5G solutions. Under this alliance, the companies integrated capabilities to develop 5G private networks and serve enterprise-specific solutions for the tailored needs of businesses across industries. Qatar will benefit from high performance, upgraded IoT capabilities, low latency 5G connectivity, and ultra-reliable communication networks.

• January 2023: Ooredoo, a leading developer of the IoT in Qatar, announced the availability of two new IoT asset management packages, which will enable business customers to monitor company resources from a single, intuitive dashboard. Key solution features include real-time asset tracking, dashboard-based reporting, predictive and preventive maintenance, and analytics.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support