MUSCAT: Development financing in the Sultanate of Oman totalled RO 213.8 million across 7,106 projects in 2025, down about 9 per cent from RO 234.9 million provided to 7,398 projects a year earlier, according to the 2026 Statistical Yearbook published by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).
Industry remained the largest recipient of development financing, receiving RO 71 million, or 33.2 per cent of total lending. The tourism, professional and public services sector followed with RO 66.3 million, representing 31 per cent, while fisheries accounted for RO 31.6 million, or 14.8 per cent.
Mining recorded one of the strongest increases, with its share of total lending rising from 0.7 per cent in 2024 to 4.8 per cent in 2025, equivalent to more than RO 10.3 million, reflecting growing investment activity in the sector.
Regionally, North and South Al Batinah together attracted the largest share of development loans, accounting for RO 53.3 million across 1,617 projects, or 24.9 per cent of the total. Muscat followed with RO 50.2 million distributed among 762 projects, while North and South Al Sharqiyah received RO 35.5 million. Al Dakhiliyah and Dhofar also recorded sizeable allocations.
Al Wusta posted notable growth, with its share of total lending increasing from 3.6 per cent in 2024 to 6.5 per cent in 2025, while Al Buraimi recorded the smallest share at 1.8 per cent.
Housing finance continued to expand despite the decline in overall development lending. Total housing loans rose 4.6 per cent to RO 151.8 million from RO 145.1 million in 2024, while the number of beneficiaries increased to 3,277 from 3,250.
South Al Batinah received the largest share of housing finance at RO 40.4 million across 902 loans, followed closely by Muscat with RO 41.7 million distributed through 842 loans. North Al Batinah ranked third, ahead of Al Dakhiliyah, while Musandam recorded the smallest share.
The yearbook also showed that borrowers earning between RO 701 and RO 1,000 per month accounted for the largest proportion of Oman Housing Bank lending, receiving RO 115 million, or 75.8 per cent of total housing loans, across 2,456 loans. Borrowers with monthly incomes of up to RO 400 accounted for 16.8 per cent of lending, while those earning above RO 1,000 represented 6.7 per cent. — ONA
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