Significant Growth in Micro-Enterprises in Oman: More Companies, Slight Decline in Employment

According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total number of active private businesses in Oman grew by 11.2% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 267,734 establishments. This figure includes all registered businesses in Oman, ranging from small shops and family-run stores to large corporations.

🔹 The strongest growth was seen in micro-enterprises such as local shops, service providers, and home-based businesses, which increased by 14%, rising from 206,000 to 235,000.

In contrast, the number of small enterprises declined by 6%, medium-sized enterprises by 2%, while large enterprises experienced a slight 1.3% increase.

Mild Decline in Private Sector Employment

Despite the growth in business activity, total employment in the private sector slightly decreased, from 1,823,000 to 1,806,000 workers.

• Employment in micro-enterprises increased by 4.1%, reaching 685,000 workers.
• However, employment in small, medium, and large enterprises declined by 6.5%, 2.5%, and 0.7% respectively.