MUSCAT – According to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of active private establishments in Oman declined by 0.8 per cent during the first quarter of 2026 to 265,918, compared with 268,033 in the corresponding period of 2025.
Despite the overall decline, medium-sized enterprises recorded the strongest growth, increasing by 6.7 percent to 1,987 establishments from 1,862 a year earlier.
The number of small enterprises rose by 4.8 percent to 31,369, up from 29,932 in the first quarter of 2025, while large enterprises increased by 4.5 percent to 762, compared with 729 during the same period last year.
In contrast, micro-enterprises fell by 1.6 percent to 231,800, down from 235,510 a year earlier.
The NCSI data also showed that the total value added generated by private establishments declined by 1.7 percent to RO 8.105 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with RO 8.248 billion in the corresponding period of 2025.
Gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 2.0 percent to RO 10.293 billion, down from RO10.501 billion in the first quarter of last year.
By enterprise size, micro-enterprises posted the highest growth in value added, rising by 6.2 percent to RO 841.2 million, compared with RO 792.4 million a year earlier.
The value added of small enterprises increased by 5.2 percent to RO 702.2 million, while medium-sized enterprises recorded a 3.1 percent rise to RO 654.9 million.
However, the value added of large enterprises fell by 4.0 percent to RO5.907 billion, compared with RO 6.153 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
Employment in active private establishments rose by 0.9 percent to 1,822,317 workers during the first quarter of 2026, up from 1,806,245 in the same period last year.
Medium-sized enterprises recorded the strongest employment growth at 7.9 percent, increasing their workforce to 165,195 employees from 153,094. Small enterprises followed with a 6.3 percent increase to 570,663 employees, while employment in large enterprises rose by 3.5 percent to 453,708.
Employment in micro-enterprises, however, declined by 6.7 percent to 632,751 workers, compared with 677,860 in the corresponding period of 2025.