Oman

The US State Department's 2026 Investment Climate Statement for Oman, published in September, says the Foreign Capital Investment Law allows 100% foreign ownership in most sectors with no minimum capital requirement. It also notes that In-Country Value (local content and Omani hiring) commitments now count in government tenders across all sectors, not only oil and gas. It lists remaining obstacles, including bureaucracy, low transparency in tendering, rising taxes and fees, limited access to credit, and an ongoing consumer boycott of US products that affects some US investments.

U.S. Department of State · 2026-09-29

No significant developments identified in this section for the reporting period.

Aperture editorial note · 2026-10-10

The Central Bank of Oman raised its repo rate by 25 basis points to 4.5%, effective 17 September 2026. It matched a US Federal Reserve hike to keep the rial's dollar peg in place, and it was the bank's first increase since July 2023. Inflation reached 3.4% according to local reporting, so entrants should plan for tighter, more expensive rial funding, although earlier hikes passed through only partly to retail lending rates.

Oman Observer · 2026-09-17

S&P Global Ratings kept Oman at BBB-, one notch above speculative grade, with a stable outlook. It raised its 2026 real growth forecast to 3.5% from 1.6% because Oman's trade routes avoid Hormuz and its oil and gas capacity is expanding. S&P pointed to liquid government assets above 40% of GDP and foreign currency reserves near 20% of GDP as buffers, but warned that non-oil growth could weaken quickly if the conflict escalates.

The National · 2026-09-26

S&P expects average inflation of 2.5% in 2026, easing to between 1% and 2% afterwards as food and transport supply constraints ease. Even so, entrants should budget for higher input and freight costs than the near-zero inflation of 2025 would suggest.

The National · 2026-09-26

Ship-tracking analysts counted 93 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels across the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman since the Iran war began, with 24 seafarer deaths. They also reported that the US blockade of Iranian ports has been reinstated, and that an Iranian tanker was loitering off Duqm. Entrants using Omani ports should expect high war-risk insurance premiums and possible enforcement activity close to Omani waters.

United Against Nuclear Iran · 2026-10-05

In early October, UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) threatened a tanker near the Omani coast and made it turn back, shortly after a separate possible attack on a tanker at Bab al-Mandab on 4 October. The US Embassy in Muscat issued security alerts on 19 September and 8 October, on top of a Level 3 'Reconsider Travel' advisory, which affects staff deployment and duty-of-care planning.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies; U.S. Embassy Muscat · 2026-10-08

In its UN General Assembly speech, Oman restated its commitment to dialogue and peaceful solutions, following its August role in talks with Iran on a temporary Hormuz shipping corridor. S&P names this neutral mediator position as a reason it expects Oman to stay resilient to the regional conflict, but the position also leaves Muscat exposed to swings in US–Iran relations.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman · 2026-10-03