Madayn Industrial Cities in Oman: Locations, Rent & How to Apply

Madayn, the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, develops and runs Oman's industrial cities, from Rusayl in Muscat to Raysut in Salalah, plus the Knowledge Oasis Muscat tech park. Investors lease serviced plots for up to 30 years, usually at OMR 1 per m2 per year for industrial use, with up to 100% foreign ownership. It is the main route for manufacturing, workshops and warehousing on the Omani mainland outside the free zones.

What is Madayn?

Madayn was founded in 1993 as the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, following the opening of Rusayl Industrial City in 1983. It now operates under the umbrella of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) and manages the industrial cities, Knowledge Oasis Muscat and Al Mazunah Free Zone.

By mid-2025 cumulative investment across Madayn locations had reached about OMR 7.8 billion, with 2,095 projects and 34.6 million m2 leased out of 61.6 million m2 of developed land. Under the 2026–2030 Five-Year Plan, Madayn is building out new cities in Al Suwayq, Al Mudhaibi, Thumrait and Madha.

All Madayn industrial cities at a glance

What does Madayn offer investors?

Land lease model

Land is never sold. Madayn grants a usufruct agreement for land or built facilities of up to 30 years, renewable for the same period. Within that lease you can:

• build your own factory, warehouse or staff housing
• sell or lease out the buildings you construct
• bring new partners into the lease
• give up the lease for the remaining term
• receive a fair valuation of your buildings when the lease ends

One-stop shop

Each city has a Masar service centre, Madayn's single window for land requests, building permits, activity licences and links to other government bodies such as labour, municipality and environment. Most requests are filed online through Madayn e-services.

Incentives

• Up to 100% foreign ownership of projects
• Customs exemption on production inputs and machinery for licensed industrial projects, on approval
• Income tax: standard 15%; industrial companies may apply for a five-year, non-renewable exemption under the Income Tax Law as amended in 2017, subject to Tax Authority approval
• Fee reductions: Madayn's board can cut licence, service and rent charges by up to 50% for up to five years in new cities or cities needing special support, and SMEs with a Riyada card get reduced licence fees
• Serviced plots with roads, water, power and telecoms, round-the-clock operation, and participation in Madayn's "Made in Oman" exhibitions

How do you apply for a plot and licence?

1. Choose the city based on market, port access, raw materials and land availability.
2. Register an Omani company (LLC or SPC) on the Oman Business Platform with the industrial, logistics or service activity. See how to register a company online.
3. Submit the investment request with a project profile through Madayn e-services or a Masar centre.
4. Plot allocation: Madayn reviews the project and notifies you of the allocated land.
5. Sign the usufruct agreement and pay the first rent and any guarantees.
6. Get permits: Madayn building permit, environmental permit and, for factories, industrial registration with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion.
7. Build, connect utilities and hire staff through work permits and residence visas.

Typical documents: Commercial Registration, shareholder passports, a project profile or feasibility study, site layout, and power, water and environmental data.

What does it cost?

Madayn's standard tariff, published on the government services portal (2026):

Several cities publish lower rates: Madayn lists 500 baisas per m2 per year in Al Buraimi and Mahas, and rent-free first years in new cities such as Al Suwayq and Al Mudhaibi. Wadi Al Kabeer rents are quoted on application.

Other cost components: common area maintenance, Madayn licence and service fees, building and environmental permit fees, utility connections, construction or fit-out, company registration and Chamber fees, and labour costs. Madayn quotes these per project; there is no single package price.

Madayn industrial city or free zone?

For the zone side, see the free zones and SEZs hub, including Sohar Free Zone, Salalah Free Zone and the Duqm Special Economic Zone. For the full picture of options, read our company registration overview.

How Oman Register helps

Oman Register helps you pick the right Madayn city, registers your company with the correct activities and prepares the land application. We follow the file through allocation, the lease and permits, then handle work permits and visas for your team.