The results of the 2025 Omani Research and Development Pilot Survey, published in 2026, revealed that total spending on research and development (R&D) activities reached RO 189.42 million, equivalent to 0.48 per cent of GDP at constant prices. This indicates the growing contribution of knowledge and innovation to the national economy.
According to the survey results, conducted by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), 35,539 employees were involved in R&D pilot activities. The private sector accounted for 46 per cent of total spending, compared to 31 per cent for the government sector and 23 per cent for the higher education sector.
The importance of research and development spending lies in supporting the transition to a knowledge-based economy by translating research findings into new applications, products and processes. This enhances productivity and competitiveness and strengthens the ability of economic sectors to keep pace with scientific and technological advancements.
Data showed that 42 per cent of all R&D employees were in the private sector, while researchers comprised 51 per cent of the total workforce in this field. The number of full-time employees reached 11,695, including 8,694 males and 3,001 females.
According to financial indicators, spending on R&D constituted 0.45 per cent of GDP at current prices in 2025, reflecting the significant resources allocated by economic sectors, government institutions and educational institutions towards knowledge and innovation development.
The survey covered three main sectors: the business sector, the government sector and the higher education sector, aiming to measure the size of human resources, spending and funding sources for experimental R&D activities.
Economically, these indicators reflect the importance of increasing investment in R&D to raise local added value and diversify growth sources, especially as the Sultanate of Oman moves towards building a more knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy within the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. The 0.48 per cent GDP spending figure remains a key indicator for measuring the development of national spending on innovation relative to the size of the economy.
The survey was based on a sample of 1,632 institutions with a confidence level of 95 per cent and a margin of statistical error of ±2.4 per cent, while the number of responding institutions was 1,069, with a response rate of 65.5 per cent.
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