Governorate Overview
Ad Dakhiliyah, centred on the historic city of Nizwa, combines cultural tourism with agricultural production and emerging manufacturing. The governorate contains Oman’s most significant heritage sites including Nizwa Fort, Bahla Fort (UNESCO), and the ancient aflaj irrigation systems. Date palm cultivation and rose water production are traditional economic mainstays, while the Nizwa Industrial Estate is attracting food processing and building materials manufacturing.
Key Investment Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 480,000 |
| Share of national GDP | 8% |
| Key sectors | heritage tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, mining |
| Investment zones | Nizwa Industrial Estate, Knowledge Oasis Nizwa |
Infrastructure
The governorate’s infrastructure base includes Nizwa-Muscat highway, Nizwa Industrial Estate, Jebel Akhdar road access. Government investment in transport connectivity and utilities continues to expand, with Vision 2040 infrastructure programmes prioritising underserved regions.
Priority Investment Opportunities
Key opportunities in Ad Dakhiliyah include Heritage tourism infrastructure, date processing, cold storage facilities, adventure tourism. The governorate administration actively supports investor facilitation through the One-Stop-Shop service centres established under the Invest Oman initiative.
Regulatory Environment
Investment in Ad Dakhiliyah benefits from national-level regulatory frameworks including the Foreign Capital Investment Law, Commercial Companies Law, and sector-specific licensing through relevant ministries. Free zone establishments offer additional regulatory flexibility and incentive packages.
Vision 2040 Alignment
The Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate Development Plan aligns with Vision 2040’s balanced regional development objectives. Priority investment areas have been identified through governorate-level strategic planning processes, with dedicated budgetary allocations for enabling infrastructure and human capital development.