The total spending by Qatar’s information and communications technology (ICT) in the ‘commercial sector’ is expected to reach $2.8 billion by 2019, said a new report by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The total ICT spending by the country’s commercial sector stood at $1.9 billion in 2015, according to the report titled “Qatar’s ICT Landscape 2016: Business”, according to the Gulf Times report.

For more than a decade now, Qatar’s investments in state-of-the art ICT infrastructure, skills development and e-government have created a positive impact on all sectors in the state, it said.

In 2014, the total revenue generated by the ICT providers in Qatar was estimated to be close to QR9 billion ($2.47 billion), reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.4 per cent for the period 2012–2014.

ICT has improved the quality of products and services, provided access to new geographic markets, allowed better customer relationship management and provided access to better quality raw materials and services.

The report shows that 83 per cent of establishments who were surveyed believe their businesses have benefited from ICT, with nearly half saying that ICT helps them access customers in new geographies and expand their potential market.

Improved quality of products and services was cited as a key benefit by 37 per cent of surveyed businesses, followed by faster delivery (30 per cent) and better customer relationship management (23 per cent).

Additionally, following the worldwide trend, the ICT industry is helping to fuel the growth and diversification of Qatar’s economy, added the report.