Ceremony Held to Mark Omani Industry Day

Muscat, 15 Feb 2026 (ONA) — The
Sultanate of Oman celebrated Omani Industry Day, in a ceremony held in Muscat
today under the patronage of Abdulsalam Mohammed Al Murshidi, Chairman of Oman
Investment Authority.

Marked annually on 9 February,
this year’s event was held under the theme: “From Oman to the World: Competitive
Industry and Global Vision.”

This year’s celebration
underscores the pivotal role industrial exports play in strengthening the
Sultanate of Oman’s economic presence regionally and internationally,
highlighting the quality and competitiveness of Omani products in global
markets.

It also aims to enhance
coordination and integration between government entities, manufacturers, and
exporters to address challenges and develop the export ecosystem. Furthermore,
it seeks to leverage the outcomes and recommendations of the 2025 Industry Day
events in shaping future policies and initiatives, aligning with the goals of
Oman Vision 2040 to achieve economic diversification and enhance added value.

Faisal Abdullah Al Rowas,
Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), affirmed that the
industrial sector is a priority sector in the 11th Five-Year Plan, noting its
steady growth in export volumes. He explained that the OCCI, as the
representative of the private sector, serves all factories in the Sultanate and
promotes Omani products through specialized exhibitions worldwide.

He stated that the OCCI pays
significant attention to the industrial sector, having formed a specialized
industry committee to discuss ways to develop the sector by proposing
initiatives and overcoming all challenges faced by industrialists and entrepreneurs
in the field.

On his turn, Khalid Salim Al
Qasabi, Director General of Industry at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and
Investment Promotion, affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to implementing the
targets of the Industry Strategy 2040. This strategy, he said, aims to build a
technologically advanced industrial base founded on innovation and enhanced
added value.

In his speech, he clarified that
the Ministry is proceeding with implementing a package of initiatives and
policies supporting the industrial sector’s contribution to the GDP, consistent
with the national priorities of Oman Vision 2040 for diversifying income
sources and enhancing economic sustainability.

He pointed out that by the end of
2025, the industrial sector recorded tangible achievements reflecting its
robust performance and growing role in supporting the national economy. The
contribution of manufacturing industries to the GDP reached approximately RO
3.879 billion, achieving a growth of 7.2% compared to RO 3.620 billion in 2024.
Foreign investment in the industrial sector also increased to around RO 3.490
billion during 2025, a growth of 24.6% compared to approximately RO 2.800
billion in 2024 – an indicator reflecting rising investor confidence in the
industrial sector and the attractiveness of its investment environment.

He stated that non-oil exports
achieved remarkable growth, reaching about RO 6.885 billion during 2025, an
increase of 10.5% compared to RO 6.232 billion in 2024, confirming the
expanding presence of national products in foreign markets.

The Director General of Industry
added that regarding employment, the number of workers in the industrial sector
rose to approximately 248,000 by the end of 2025, an increase of 3% compared to
240,761 workers in 2024. This reflects the sector’s growing role in providing
job opportunities and enhancing job stability.

He noted that the number of
industrial facilities holding the National Product Identity reached 166 by the
end of 2025, while the number of approved exemption requests reached 439. This
demonstrates the effectiveness of incentives and facilities provided to support
industrial activities and enhance the competitiveness of the national product.

For his part, Dr. Hilal Abdullah
Al Hinai, Chairman of Oman Association for Manufacturers, explained in his
speech that the upcoming phase requires a shift from focusing on export volumes
to deepening production knowledge and enhancing the complexity of industrial
products. He stated that the Association adopts a renewed vision based on
building specialized capabilities, in harmony with the targets of the Ministry
of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion and Oman Vision 2040, noting
that 2026 represents a turning point towards manufacturing precision products
and advanced tools.

Dr. Hilal announced the
development of “Oman Association for Manufacturers Award” into the
“Oman Industry Excellence Awards 2026.” These awards will focus on
future-oriented criteria, including awards for High-Complexity Product,
Knowledge Transfer and Qualitative Omanization, Export Resilience, and Local
Added Value. He called upon industrial facilities to nominate themselves for
these awards through the Association’s portal starting next week.

The ceremony included a visual
presentation titled “From Oman to the World: Competitive Industry and
Global Vision,” embodying the Sultanate of Oman’s industrial ambition to
transcend geographical boundaries and launch into international markets. It
highlighted the successes of national products in accessing various global
markets under the “Made in Oman” identity.

During the ceremony, digital
platforms were launched, and an expert committee was formed, representing the
first phase of the “Industrial Observatory.” This observatory serves
as a national center for accurate industrial data and information in the
Sultanate of Oman. It aims to enable decision-makers to access realistic
analyses and real-time performance indicators that support efficient planning
and formulation of industrial policies, in line with the Industry Strategy targets.
The observatory constitutes a pivotal step towards enhancing transparency and
developing the investment environment by providing reliable digital data
contributing to sustainable, knowledge-based industrial growth.

The “I’tamad” platform
for professional classification was also launched. This qualitative initiative
aims to establish clear regulatory frameworks for skills and jobs in the
industrial sector, enhancing the alignment of education and training outputs
with the actual needs of factories. The platform seeks to raise the level of
quality and production efficiency by granting recognized professional
classification certificates, thereby enhancing the professionalism of the
national workforce and opening broader career development paths for them,
supporting the goals of Oman Vision 2040 in building a knowledge society and
developing competitive human capabilities.

During the event, a committee named
“The Expert Committee for the Industrial Sector” was formed. This committee
will be responsible for enhancing coordination between the public and private
sectors and working to align the needs of the industrial sector with the
outputs of the education and training systems, thereby supporting the
industrial development journey and enhancing the readiness of national
competencies for the requirements of the upcoming phase.

The celebration included
presentations of success stories from several national companies that embodied
the spirit of innovation and perseverance in the industrial sector.

Several strategic programs,
agreements, and initiatives were inked during the event, in a bid to enhance the
efficiency and competitiveness of the industrial sector in the Sultanate of
Oman and employ innovation and modern technologies in developing production
processes.

The “Kafa’a” program
for lean manufacturing was signed to adopt the Lean methodology through
collaboration between the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment
Promotion, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), and the Public Establishment for
Industrial Estates “Madayn.” The program aims to transfer and localize
expertise in the Lean methodology to Omani industrial facilities, enabling
factories to improve their production processes, reduce operational waste,
enhance product quality, and raise competitiveness locally and internationally.
The program is an important step towards establishing principles of
sustainability and managerial innovation in the sector, in line with the
targets of the Industry Strategy 2040.

The program was signed for the
Ministry by Eng. Ghalib Said Al Maamari, Undersecretary of the Ministry for
Commerce and Industry; for Madayn by Dawood Salim Al Hadabi, the CEO; and for
PDO by Hamoud Hilal Al Hasani, Executive Director of Engineering & Projects.

An agreement was also signed for
a strategic partnership with “ITHCA” Group to support and operate the
Advanced Automation Center. The agreement aims to integrate automation and
artificial intelligence solutions into manufacturing processes, thereby raising
production efficiency and reducing operational costs according to the highest
international standards, including the “Sirius” methodology. The
agreement contributes to operating the Advanced Automation Center as a hub for
technological innovation and enhances the building of a smart industrial base,
supporting the comprehensive digital transformation sought in Oman Vision 2040.

The agreement was signed for the
Ministry by Eng. Ghalib Said Al Maamari, and for Ithka Group by Eng. Said Abdullah
Al Mandhari, the CEO.

The celebration program also
included a video titled “Harak” (Movement) showcasing the development
of the industrial sector in the Sultanate of Oman. It highlighted qualitative
transformations from the historical roots of manufacturing to the adoption of
Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and reflected the record-breaking
leaps in the sector’s indicators during the recent period, affirming industry’s
role as a key driver of sustainable economic diversification and a prosperous
future based on knowledge and innovation.

The Office of the Governor of
North A’Sharqiyah presented a visual presentation highlighting the
Governorate’s efforts to attract qualitative industrial investments by
organizing a manufacturing industries competition in partnership with the
Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion and the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Water Resources, aiming to enhance the Governorate’s position as
a distinguished industrial destination.

In the context of promoting
sustainable and competitive industries, Shell Oman Marketing Company presented
a working paper showcasing its industrial experience spanning over four
decades, particularly its oil blending plant in the Sultanate of Oman and its
role in enhancing local added value and expanding exports to regional markets,
alongside employing advanced technologies to develop high-performance products
that support operational efficiency and sustainability.

A panel discussion titled
“Omani Exports – From Factory to Global Markets” was held, featuring
in-depth discussions on ways to empower Omani exports and enhance the
competitiveness of national products in regional and international markets,
with participation from a group of industrialists and national experts.

During the celebration, a
discussion session on industrial exports and their importance was also held
with Omani industrialists, involving several specialists from the public and
private sectors. Views were exchanged on the challenges and opportunities
available to Omani companies, and the session highlighted ways to enhance
cooperation among various stakeholders to support sustainable growth in the
sector.

The ceremony was attended by Anwar Hilal Al Jabri, Minister of
Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, along with a number of ministers
and officials from the government and private sectors.

— Ends/AH