Commercial, industrial activities grow in Al Wusta during first quarter of 2026

Haima: Al Wusta Governorate is witnessing growth across various commercial, industrial, and investment sectors during the first quarter of this year, as the number of registered commercial records rose to 190, representing a growth rate of 233.3 percent, bringing the cumulative total of records to 7,017, according to statistical data from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion.

Abdoon Mohammed Al Harsousi, Director of the Department of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in Al Wusta Governorate, confirmed that this growth is a result of the accelerating economic momentum driven by strategic projects in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm and the areas affiliated with the governorate. He pointed out that this development reflects the effectiveness of government facilities and digital transformation in supporting the business environment and boosting opportunities for entrepreneurs, thereby contributing to consolidating the path of sustainable development and placing the governorate in an advanced position on the national economic map.

He explained that Al Wusta Governorate recorded remarkable growth in the movement of establishing companies and new commercial records during the first quarter of this year. He noted that the Wilayat of Duqm continued to lead by registering 97 new commercial records, achieving a growth rate of 223.3 percent, followed by the Wilayat of Mahout with 54 records and the highest growth rate at 315.4 percent, then the Wilayat of Al Jazer with 29 records and a growth of 190 percent, while the Wilayat of Haima registered 10 new commercial records, growing by 150 percent.

Regarding the legal forms of companies, he said that "sole proprietorship company" ranked first with 77 records, representing a growth rate of 220.8 percent, followed by "individual traders" with 67 records, showing a growth of 318.8 percent, then "limited liability companies" with 38 records and a growth rate of 322.2 percent, in addition to registering 7 home-based businesses, and one record registered for street vending activities.

Furthermore, the activity of "building and construction contracting – general construction of residential and non-residential buildings" topped the list of the most licensed economic activities in the governorate and its four wilayats, recording a growth of 457.1 percent, following the issuance of 195 licenses during the first quarter of this year compared to 35 licenses during the same period in 2025, bringing the cumulative total of licenses for this activity to 627.

Regarding facilitating the business environment, he mentioned that statistics showed an increase in completed commercial licenses, reaching 882 licenses during the first quarter of this year, an increase of 28.9 percent compared to the same period in 2025, bringing the cumulative total of licenses to 6,189 completed commercial licenses.

The Director of the Department of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in Al Wusta Governorate indicated that the industrial sector continued to record positive performance, as the number of completed industrial licenses reached 116 during the same period, achieving a growth of 12.6 percent, bringing the cumulative total to 1,607 completed industrial licenses, reflecting the diversity and geographical expansion of the production base.

He added that in the field of foreign investment, the governorate recorded a growth of 53.3 percent, with 23 new foreign investment commercial registrations during the first quarter of this year, raising the cumulative total to 826 records, while the Wilayat of Duqm accounted for 21 records, confirming its status as a major investment destination.

Regarding foreign trade movement, the number of certificates of origin issued from Al Wusta Governorate reached 112 certificates during the first quarter of this year, distributed between 49 certificates under the Greater Arab Free Trade Area agreement and 63 certificates under the GCC agreement, reflecting the growing role of the governorate in supporting national exports and enhancing their access to regional and international markets.