Oman trade surplus narrows 27% in 2025 as oil exports decline

09/03/2026 07:54 AST

Oman's trade surplus narrowed 27 percent to 6.09 billion Omani rials ($15.8 billion) by the end of 2025, as lower oil and gas export earnings offset gains in non-oil shipments and re-exports.

Preliminary data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information showed the surplus fell from 8.34 billion rials a year earlier, with total merchandise exports declining 7.1 percent to 23.26 billion rials, the Oman News Agency reported.

The weaker trade balance reflects softer hydrocarbon revenues in a year marked by lower global crude prices. Benchmark Brent Crude averaged about $69 a barrel in 2025, down from roughly $80 a barrel in 2024, as global supply outpaced demand and inventories increased.

"Conversely, total registered merchandise imports into Oman rose 2.7 percent to 17.167 billion rials, compared with 16.713 billion rials during the same period in 2024," the ONA report added.

The agency added that the decline in Oman's merchandise exports was mainly due to a fall in oil and gas exports, which totaled 14.51 billion rials by the end of 2025, down 15.2 percent from 17.11 billion rials a year earlier.

Non-oil merchandise exports, however, increased 7.5 percent to 6.7 billion rials by the end of December, compared with 6.23 billion rials during the same period of 2024.

Re-exports also rose to nearly 2.06 billion rials by the end of December, recording growth of 20.3 percent compared with around 1.71 billion rials in the same period a year earlier.

The UAE topped non-oil export destinations by the end of December, with shipments valued at more than 1.31 billion rials, up 25.3 percent compared with the same period in 2024. It also led re-export trade from Oman, with re-exports valued at 724 million rials, and remained the leading source of imports into Oman at more than 4.15 billion rials.

Saudi Arabia ranked second in non-oil exports at around 1.07 billion rials, followed by India at 699 million rials.

In re-exports, Iran came second at 365 million rials, followed by the UK at 207 million rials.

On the import side, China ranked second with nearly 1.94 billion rials, followed by India at 1.45 billion rials.

Arab News