MUSCAT: A visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission has concluded its preliminary meetings with the Government of Oman as part of the 2025 Article IV Consultation. The discussions focused on recent economic, financial, and monetary developments, as well as structural reform progress in the Sultanate of Oman.
The IMF commended Oman’s economic performance, noting that real GDP grew by 1.7% in 2024—up from 1.2% in 2023—thanks to robust non-oil sector growth, particularly in manufacturing, logistics, tourism, and renewable energy. Growth is forecast to accelerate to 2.4% in 2025 and 3.7% in 2026, supported by the easing of OPEC+ production caps and ongoing economic diversification.
Inflation remains well contained at just 0.9% year-on-year for the first four months of 2025.
The Fund lauded Oman’s prudent fiscal policy, which delivered a 3.3% budget surplus in 2024 despite rising infrastructure and public service investments. However, the surplus is projected to narrow to 0.5% of GDP in 2025 and 2026 due to lower oil prices, before improving again in the medium term.
Public debt fell to 35.5% of GDP in 2024. The IMF highlighted Oman’s continued fiscal reform momentum and targeted investments in priority sectors, praising the Oman Investment Authority’s role in enhancing governance of state-owned enterprises.
Oman’s banking sector was described as strong, with high asset quality, solid capital and liquidity buffers, and sustained profitability. Credit to the private sector continues to expand, fueled by growing deposits and healthy net foreign assets.
The Central Bank of Oman received praise for improving liquidity management and promoting financial sector development and inclusion. The external sector also showed strength, posting a current account surplus of 2.2% of GDP in 2024. A temporary deficit is expected in 2025–2026 due to softer oil prices and non-oil exports, but a return to surplus is anticipated as oil output rises.
The IMF also welcomed progress in structural reforms, including tax system modernization and the Future Fund’s success in attracting private investment. Ongoing investments in green hydrogen and renewables were also highlighted as key pillars of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) and Oman Vision 2040.
The Central Bank of Oman expressed appreciation for the IMF’s assessment and reaffirmed its commitment to financial stability and a sustainable, diversified economy. — ONA
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
