Sunday 11 / January / 2026
Muscat: The Royal orders to increase the allocations for the Governorate Development Program to RO 270 million during the Eleventh Five-Year Development Plan (2026–2030) confirm the Royal care to enhancing social welfare and ensuring balanced development in the governorates.
This financial boost supports the expansion of the program’s projects, aims to maximise investment and economic returns, and builds upon the successes of the Tenth Five-Year Plan in stimulating economic activity, creating jobs, and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Said Rashid Al Qutbi, Director General of Social Sectors at the Ministry of Economy, explained that the program translates the directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. Originally launched in 2022 with an annual allocation of RO 4 million per governorate, the program has become a cornerstone for comprehensive development by utilizing the natural resources and comparative advantages of each region.
Al Qutbi noted that the program has significantly contributed to the goals of Oman Vision 2040 by strengthening administrative, financial, and economic autonomy for governorates, encouraging the local private sector and improving the investment and tourism attractiveness of governorates and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities through localized projects.
Data reveals significant progress in project implementation and community impact up to the second half of 2025 with the number of completed and ongoing projects rose from 941 at the end of 2024 to 1,089 projects by mid-2025.
Total spending reached RO 127 million between 2021 and November 2025 while 950 contracts were awarded to small and medium enterprises.
The program generated 1,400 direct job opportunities and 428 indirect jobs by the end of last year.
The program covers a wide range of sectors aimed at improving infrastructure and quality of life. Sixty projects are focusing on waterfronts, viewpoints, and water spring developments, alongside 67 festivals and tourism events. As many as 162 projects are for parks and healthy walkways, and 80 projects for markets, slaughterhouses, and kiosks. As many as 259 projects are for general maintenance and land leveling, 125 are for road lighting, and 97 for internal and industrial road paving.
Twenty projects are dedicated to rainwater drainage and flood protection.
With the onset of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), the Ministry of Economy is collaborating with stakeholders to introduce 20 new strategic programs. These will focus on building smart cities, integrating rural and urban development, and enhancing spatial justice. Key enablers already in place include the Governorate Competitiveness Index and an interactive platform that monitors performance across 61 indicators.
Furthermore, training programs have empowered 50 local officials in spatial and financial planning to ensure that the increased budget is managed effectively through partnerships with the private sector. This comprehensive momentum reflects Oman's steady progress toward economic diversification and long-term social stability.
---Ends/AG
