Muscat – The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn), the operator of industrial cities in Oman, plans to implement 98 major projects over the next five years.
Dawood bin Salim al Haddabi, Chief Executive Officer of Madayn, confirmed that the projects will be executed under the 11th Five-Year Development Plan (2026–2030).
“These projects are distributed across three main pillars: 51 development and operations projects, 36 institutional excellence projects, and 11 environmental sustainability projects, all aligned with the priorities of Oman Vision 2040,” Haddabi said in an interview published in the latest edition of Duqm Economist, a quarterly magazine issued by the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ).
He explained that the next five years will witness the implementation of strategic projects across various governorates. Key projects include Phase 1 infrastructure and utilities works at Al Mudhaibi Industrial City, covering approximately 2.5mn sqm; Phase 1 infrastructure and utilities works at Al Suwaiq Industrial City over 5mn sqm; infrastructure and utilities development at Madha Industrial City covering more than 348,000 sqm; development and rehabilitation of infrastructure and preparation of a detailed master plan for Al Wadi Al Kabir Industrial City; service improvements and infrastructure upgrades (Phases 1–6) at Sohar Industrial City; construction of a marine berth and development of a master plan for Sur Industrial City; and expansion of water networks at Raysut Industrial City.
Haddabi noted that their Digital Transformation Execution Plan (2026–2030) represents a strategic shift aimed at unifying Madayn’s initiatives under a comprehensive institutional transformation framework.
“This plan targets the implementation of 105 digital projects across 12 main pillars, covering government digital transformation paths such as digital readiness, digital experience, digital enablement, and digital innovation,” he said.
He added that the plan seeks international recognition for two industrial cities as smart cities, full automation of priority services with complete integration across government and private entities, and an increase in investor satisfaction to over 85%. The plan also incorporates artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and renewable energy into industrial city infrastructure.
Total investments reach RO7.8bn
Haddabi said Madayn recorded notable growth across its performance indicators by the end of the first half of 2025, with total cumulative investments reaching approximately RO7.8bn, reflecting 2% growth compared with the same period in 2024. The total number of cumulative projects rose to 2,095, up 3%, while cumulative contracts reached 2,385, an increase of more than 3%.
The total leased land area across all industrial cities, Knowledge Oasis Muscat and the Al Mazyona Free Zone reached 34.6mn sqm, up 2%, out of 61.6mn sqm of developed land, translating into an occupancy rate of 68%. During H1 2025, Madayn received 215 new investment applications and signed 124 contracts for new projects valued at more than RO80mn, covering over 895,000 sqm.
Haddabi added that during the 10th Five-Year Development Plan (2021–2025), Madayn implemented a wide range of projects aimed at creating an attractive and sustainable investment environment across Oman’s governorates. Key completed projects included Phase 1 development of Ibri Industrial City over 3mn sqm; infrastructure and utilities development at Mahas Industrial City over 1.4mn sqm; consultancy, design and supervision services for Madayn’s industrial complexes in Rusayl, Nizwa, Mahas, Suwaiq and Madha; Phase 7 infrastructure development at Sohar Industrial City covering more than 8.5mn sqm; and comprehensive surveying and mapping of industrial cities using drone technology.
Economic clusters
The Madayn CEO said the organisation has established integrated economic clusters to leverage natural resources and competitive advantages across governorates, supporting targeted productive sectors under Oman’s economic diversification plans.
“These include the Integrated Mining Economic Cluster in Shaleem, with a master plan covering 30mn sqm and a detailed design over 10mn sqm serving the oil, gas and mining sectors. The project includes infrastructure planning for roads, water networks, sewage systems, stormwater drainage and supporting facilities, alongside comprehensive economic and marketing studies,” he said.
According to Haddabi, Madayn has also begun preparing the implementation plan for the Integrated Aluminium Economic Cluster at Sohar Industrial City. This includes finalising detailed plans and performance indicators, aligning with government and private stakeholders, and appointing a specialised consultant to study downstream aluminium opportunities to enhance value-added manufacturing and identify promising investment prospects.
He further highlighted Madayn’s efforts through the Industrial Innovation Academy to promote innovation, empower SMEs, enhance competitiveness and encourage large companies to adopt advanced technologies that support local value addition in line with Oman Vision 2040.
Among the most notable initiatives is the Omanisation Programme, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, which aims to provide 1,000 jobs annually and has already generated more than 3,000 jobs across industrial cities. In addition, the RABT platform has created a significant shift in linking local products to government tenders by enabling SMEs to directly access national supply chains through digital integration.
