Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman recorded an increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by the end of the first quarter of 2025, reaching OMR30,611.5 million. Inward FDI flows during this period totaled OMR5,225.8 million, a notable rise compared to OMR4,111.2 million in the first quarter of 2024.
Preliminary statistics from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) indicate that the oil and gas extraction sector accounted for 81 percent of the total FDI, valued at OMR24,701.9 million, with cash flows reaching OMR4,812 million.
The statistics further reveal that FDI in the converting industries sector stood at OMR2,749.3 million by the end of Q1 2025, with cash flows of OMR592.3 million. In the financial intermediation sector, FDI reachedOMR1,300.3 million, with cash flows of OMR217.8 million.
Investments in the real estate, rental, and commercial activities sector amounted to OMR653.1 million, marking a 36.8 percent decrease compared to the same quarter in 2024.
Meanwhile, total FDI in the transport, storage, and communications sector was valued at OMR 357.9 million, with flows ofOMR 3.2 million. The electricity and water sector saw investments totaling RO 292 million, an 11 percent decrease compared to the corresponding quarter in 2024. The trade sector recorded total investments of OMR262 million, with flows of OMR14.5 million.
Total investment in the hotels and restaurants sector by the end of the first quarter of the current year reached OMR116.6 million, a 0.5 percent decrease in value compared to the same period in 2024.
The total value in the construction sector was OMR88.5 million, experiencing a decrease in flows estimated at OMR 4.9 million. The total value in other activities reached OMR89.9 million, with flows of OMR7.3 million.
The United Kingdom led in total FDI by the end of the first quarter of the current year, accounting for 50.9 percent of the total, valued at OMR15,574.3 million. It was followed by the United States with a total investment of OMR7,824.5 million, then Kuwait withOMR1,223.6 million, the People’s Republic of China with OMR894.9 million, the United Arab Emirates with OMR 753 million, Qatar with OMR 669.3 million, Bahrain with OMR462.4 million, the Netherlands with OMR 364.1 million, India with OMR306 million, and Switzerland with RO 301.3 million. Other countries contributed RO 2,238.1 million.
