NEOM’s tech firm TONOMUS launches first digital communications facility at Oxagon 

This facility site spans an area of 18,000 sq. meters, with a two-floor office building with a capacity to host 150 personnel. (Supplied)
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Updated 18 July 2023
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NEOM’s tech firm TONOMUS launches first digital communications facility at Oxagon 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s future city NEOM is up for a major technological upgradation as its cognitive tech firm TONOMUS has opened the first digital communications facility at Oxagon to enhance the availability and growth of data center, 5G, satellite and fiber cable network connectivity. 

In an interview with Arab News, Joseph Bradley, CEO of TONOMUS, said that the new facility named, TONOMUS.NEOM Telecommunications Center, will help the firm emerge as a world-leading cognitive technology and digital infrastructure enterprise.   

“Demonstrating the rapid development taking place across the wider NEOM region, the facility will serve the ICT needs of its residents and businesses,” Bradley said.   

He added: “It (digital communications facility) provides access to reliable, high-speed communication solutions, enabling individuals and businesses to stay connected. It also ensures that NEOM has a seamless, sustainable and uninterrupted connectivity experience tailored to the demands and use cases of a cutting-edge cognitive region.”

According to Bradley, the new facility is expected to provide a software-driven network in NEOM which will serve up to 60 locations, 1,800 structures, and 200 million Internet of Things devices by 2030.  

This facility site spans an area of 18,000 sq. meters, with a two-floor office building with a capacity to host 150 personnel.   

“This center will play a part in realizing our vision for a smart, cutting-edge region that prioritizes livability, where infrastructure and services are designed to give people time back to live their lives to the fullest. It will raise competitiveness in the global ICT industry and support both businesses and individuals who will call NEOM home,” said Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM.

Bradley further pointed out that the new digital communications facility will connect NEOM to the world with the usage of advanced telecommunications space and subsea connectivity to Asia, Europe and Africa.   

“It will power the cognitive region by connecting all of NEOM’s smart features, managing the flow of data, and enabling the processing of information,” he said.

Bradley added: “TONOMUS and groundbreaking infrastructure projects such as the TONOMUS.NEOM Telecommunications Center represent a blueprint for expansion, enabling NEOM’s goal of becoming an economic engine for the region and the world.”


Saudi Arabia sees 21% jump in mining sector licenses since 2016

Updated 15 December 2025
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Saudi Arabia sees 21% jump in mining sector licenses since 2016

  • The growth in the Kingdom’s mining sector licenses aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, launched in 2016

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s mining sector has shown sustained growth, with the number of mining licenses increasing from 1,985 in 2016 to 2,401 by the end of 2024, representing cumulative growth of 21 percent, according to the 2024 mineral wealth statistics from the General Authority for Statistics.

The data highlights a steady upward trend in recent years. Licenses rose to 2,100 in 2021, marking a 6 percent increase from the previous year. 

The upward trajectory continued with 2,272 licenses in 2022, 2,365 in 2023, and 2,401 in 2024, reflecting expanding exploration and investment activity across the Kingdom’s mining sector. Building material quarries accounted for the largest share of mining permits, climbing from 1,267 licenses in 2021 to 1,481 by 2024. 

Exploration licenses also recorded consistent growth, supporting the Kingdom’s broader push to develop its mineral resources. 

Other categories of mining activity saw significant expansion, including 2,554 exploration licenses, 744 exploitation licenses, 151 reconnaissance licenses, and 83 surplus mineral ore licenses issued during the same period.

The growth in the Kingdom’s mining sector licenses aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, launched in 2016, which aim to diversify national income sources and strengthen non-oil sectors.