Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (INTAJ)
Definition
INTAJ: Jordan’s ICT and ITES Industry Association
INTAJ (Jordan’s national ICT and ITES trade body) is a non-profit founded in Amman in 2000 that advocates and lobbies for the kingdom’s tech and IT-enabled services firms across home, regional, and global markets, driving policy reform, exports, and skilled jobs.
The Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan unites software houses, telcos, contact centres, and startups under one voice, and coordinates directly with the country’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship on national strategy.
Membership spans a broad mix, from telcos like Zain Jordan and Umniah to Amman-based outsourcing firms running contact centres for regional banks, insurers, and telcos across the Gulf and North Africa.
Key takeaways
- INTAJ was founded in Amman in 2000 as Jordan’s non-profit ICT and ITES industry body.
- Six focus pillars cover policy, digital economy, human capital, market access, information, and startups.
- INTAJ coordinates with Jordan’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship on national strategy.
- The association hosts the biennial MENA ICT Forum, a flagship regional gathering for buyers and investors.
- Members span software, telecom, BPO, and contact-centre firms serving Gulf, European, and US clients.
How it works
INTAJ runs a member-funded advocacy model — companies pay annual dues, then vote for a board that translates industry needs into policy briefs, training programs, and trade missions across six coordinated pillars set by the association’s 2000 founding charter.
The six pillars, refreshed in INTAJ’s 2020 update, steer how the association allocates staff, member dues, and government grants each year, and they map neatly onto Jordan Vision 2025 and the country’s REACH 2025 digital strategy.
| INTAJ Pillar | Focus Area | Typical Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Business-enabling environment | Policy and regulation | Lobbying, white papers, ministry liaison |
| Digital economy | Sector growth | Strategy input, investor briefings |
| Human capital | Talent and skills | University partnerships, training programs |
| Access to market | Exports and trade | Trade missions, B2B matchmaking |
| Access to information | Intelligence | Market reports, sector analytics |
| Startups | Entrepreneurship | Mentorship, accelerator links, SME support |
Day-to-day work sits with a small Amman-based secretariat, backed by working committees drawn from member CEOs. Committees own each pillar and report to a general assembly that meets annually to approve budgets and strategy.
Funding blends member dues, event revenue from the MENA ICT Forum, and grants from donor bodies including USAID and multilateral banks. This mixed model keeps the association independent of any single government line-item.
Member firms gain regulatory representation with cabinet-level officials, discounted booths at the MENA ICT Forum, access to co-funded training programs, and referrals into INTAJ-curated buyer meetings during trade missions.
Examples
INTAJ’s most visible signature is the MENA ICT Forum, a biennial buyer-and-investor summit hosted in Jordan in 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023, that pairs regional government delegations with member firms pitching outsourcing, software, and cloud services.
Zain Jordan and Umniah use INTAJ policy channels to shape spectrum and data-protection regulation, while Amman-based BPO exporters lean on the association’s trade missions to open buyer conversations in Riyadh, Dubai, and Cairo.
Both the International Telecommunication Union and the World Bank reference Jordan as a MENA ICT benchmark, and INTAJ is the industry counterparty behind that recognition.
Sectoral output tracks that positioning. Jordan’s ICT industry has been benchmarked as one of the region’s leading contributors to GDP and skilled tech employment, per government and INTAJ-cited figures.
On the talent side, INTAJ works with Jordanian universities and coding academies to feed graduates into member employers — an approach mirrored by KPO and ITO providers across the wider region.
Related terms
- Business process outsourcing (BPO): third-party delivery of back- and front-office business processes.
- Information technology outsourcing (ITO): third-party delivery of IT infrastructure, software, and support services.
- Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO): third-party delivery of higher-value analytical and research work.
- Nearshoring: sourcing services from a nearby country to shorten time-zone and cultural gaps.
- Offshoring: moving work to a distant country, typically for cost and scale reasons.
- Foreign direct investment (FDI): cross-border capital placed into productive assets or operating firms.
- Contact center: a hub that handles inbound and outbound customer interactions.
FAQ
What does INTAJ stand for?
INTAJ stands for the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan. It is the country’s non-profit trade body for ICT and IT-enabled services (ITES), founded in Amman in 2000.
When was INTAJ founded and where is it based?
INTAJ was founded in 2000 and is based in Amman, Jordan. The association coordinates directly with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship on national digital strategy.
Who can join INTAJ?
Membership is open to Jordan-registered ICT and ITES companies, including software firms, telecom operators, BPO providers, and tech startups. Individual associate categories exist for freelancers and academics.
What is the MENA ICT Forum?
The MENA ICT Forum is INTAJ’s flagship biennial event, hosted in Jordan in 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023. It gathers ministers, investors, and buyer delegations from across the Middle East and North Africa to meet Jordanian tech and outsourcing firms.
How does INTAJ support outsourcing exports?
INTAJ organises trade missions, roadshows, and B2B matchmaking that link Jordanian nearshoring and offshoring firms with Gulf, European, and US buyers. It also publishes sector reports and channels foreign direct investment (FDI) into Jordan’s tech corridors.
Ready to tap Jordan’s INTAJ-backed ICT talent — browse the Outsource Accelerator directory for vetted outsourcing partners.
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