MUSCAT — Oman’s public debt fell by more than RO 600 million year on year to RO 14.1 billion at the end of September, the Ministry of Finance said, as a jump in gas revenue helped lift the state budget into surplus.
Public revenue rose 16% to RO 9.828 billion in the first nine months of 2026, while spending increased 9% to RO 9.738 billion, according to the ministry’s Financial Performance Bulletin. Public debt stood at RO 14.7 billion at the end of September 2025.
Net gas revenue rose 61% to RO 2.088 billion, accounting for more than half of the increase in total revenue. Net oil revenue climbed 7% to RO 5.046 billion. Oman received an average of $81 a barrel for its oil, while production averaged 1.102 million barrels per day.
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Current revenue rose 7% to RO 2.614 billion from RO 2.449 billion a year earlier.
Current expenditure increased by RO 394 million to RO 6.621 billion. Development spending by ministries and civil agencies and on economic transformation projects reached RO 1.224 billion, equivalent to 94% of the RO 1.3 billion allocated for the full year.
Contributions and other spending rose 9% to RO 1.723 billion. The government provided RO 486 million in support for the social protection system, RO 441 million for electricity and RO 280 million for petroleum products. It also transferred RO 225 million to its debt repayment allocation.
The ministry said payments to private-sector suppliers exceeded RO 1.434 billion during the period. It settled those payments within an average of five working days once the required paperwork was complete.
