Ibri Industrial City is a Madayn industrial estate of about 10 million m2 in Al Dhahirah Governorate. It sits on the route to Oman's Empty Quarter land crossing with Saudi Arabia and leases industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year. By mid-2026 it had 17 investment agreements worth about OMR 25 million, mainly in oil and gas services, food, manufacturing and light industry.
Where is Ibri Industrial City?
The city is in the Wilayat of Ibri, about 20 km from Ibri's town centre, on the road leading to the Oman–Saudi border crossing at the Empty Quarter (Rub' al Khali). It is about 130 km from that land port. It is also within reach of the UAE border via Al Buraimi and of the oil and gas concession areas of western Oman.
Muscat is roughly three hours away by road. Sohar Port, via the Ibri–Sohar road, and Muscat-area ports serve as sea gateways. The location suits businesses that trade overland with Saudi Arabia or serve oilfield operators.
Facts and development status
- Construction started: July 2020 (Madayn lists 2020 as the inauguration year)
- Total area: 10 million m2, with over 2.6 million m2 developed by mid-2026
- Investments: 17 agreements covering more than 250,000 m2 and about OMR 25 million (H1 2026)
- Phase 1 works: roads, water and sewage networks, stormwater drainage, wadi flood protection and solar-powered street lighting
- Planned for 2026–2030: a security fence, an administration building, a Madayn Entrepreneurial Complex for SMEs, and more green areas
Ibri is operational with live projects, but it is still small compared with Rusayl or Sohar. Expect a limited local supplier and service base.
Which industries does Ibri target?
Madayn lists light and medium industries, commercial zones, administrative offices, workshops and warehouses. The most promising sectors in practice are:
- oil and gas services and equipment maintenance
- mineral processing, using the region's marble and chromite deposits
- building materials
- food processing (Madayn promoted 11 food and organic fertiliser opportunities in 2026)
- warehousing and logistics for the Saudi corridor
Incentives and ownership rules
- Up to 100% foreign ownership in Madayn industrial cities.
- Leases of up to 30 years, renewable, with the right to sell, mortgage or sublease buildings and admit partners.
- Customs exemption on production inputs for licensed industrial projects, on approval.
- Industrial rent of OMR 1 per m2 per year (2026).
- Corporate tax at the standard 15%. Historic five-year tax holidays should not be assumed; check with an adviser.
How to set up in Ibri Industrial City
- Register the company on the Oman Business Platform with the right activity codes (step-by-step guide).
- Prepare a project profile covering products, process, plot size, power and water needs, staffing and environmental impact.
- Apply to Madayn through the e-Masar portal or a Masar service centre.
- Plot allocation: Madayn reviews and notifies you.
- Sign the usufruct agreement and pay the initial rent and any guarantee.
- Permits: a Madayn building permit, Environment Authority approval and industrial registration (for factories).
- Build and staff the site, then apply for work permits and residence visas.
Documents usually required
- Commercial Registration and company documents
- Owner and signatory passport or ID copies
- Project description or feasibility study and a site layout
- Utility and environmental data
- Power of attorney if an agent applies for you
What does it cost?
The published industrial rent is OMR 1 per m2 per year (Madayn, 2026). As an illustration, a 5,000 m2 plot would cost about OMR 5,000 a year in rent alone. Other components:
- the common area maintenance (service) charge
- Madayn application, allocation and permit fees, according to its current schedule
- utility connection and consumption charges
- construction, fit-out and equipment
- company registration, chamber and labour costs
Timelines
Company registration can be completed within days once documents are ready. A Madayn plot allocation typically takes a few weeks. Building and environmental permits follow, and the overall time to start operations depends mostly on your construction schedule.
Pros and limitations
| Pros | Limitations |
|---|---|
| On the overland route to Saudi Arabia | Far from Muscat and from seaports |
| Low rent and a large land bank | Smaller supplier and labour pool |
| Close to oilfields and mineral deposits | Some planned facilities still to be built |
| Operational, with signed projects | Summer heat and logistics costs for some sectors |
Nearby alternatives
- Al Dhahirah Special Economic Zone: in Ibri, with SEZ incentives for border trade.
- Al Buraimi Industrial City: next to the UAE border.
- Nizwa Industrial City: central Oman, closer to Muscat.
- Sohar Industrial City: if you need a port next door.
See the industrial cities hub and the free zones hub for a wider comparison.
How Oman Register helps
Oman Register helps you decide between Ibri Industrial City and the Al Dhahirah SEZ, registers your company and prepares the Madayn application. We then follow the lease, permits, work permits and visas through to completion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rent in Ibri Industrial City?
Madayn lists industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year (2026). Earlier promotions gave rent-free periods and fee discounts for contracts signed in 2021–2024, so check whether any current offer applies.
How far is Ibri Industrial City from the Saudi border?
The city lies on the road towards the Oman–Saudi crossing at the Empty Quarter, about 130 km from the land port. It is also about 20 km from the centre of Ibri.
Is Ibri Industrial City the same as the Al Dhahirah Special Economic Zone?
No. Ibri Industrial City is run by Madayn as an industrial estate. The Al Dhahirah SEZ is a separate zone with its own regulator and incentive package.
Which sectors suit Ibri Industrial City?
Oil and gas services, food processing, building materials, warehousing, and light and medium manufacturing. The region's marble and chromite deposits support mineral processing.
Can a foreign company lease land in Ibri Industrial City?
Yes. A company registered in Oman, including one that is 100% foreign-owned, can apply to Madayn for a lease of up to 30 years, renewable.
Sources & official references
This guide is general information, checked against official sources at the date shown. Rules and fees in Oman change; we confirm the current requirements for your case before you apply.
Need help setting up in Oman?
Tell us what you plan to do. We will recommend the right location and company type, list the documents and quote the full cost before you start.
All Madayn industrial cities
Rusayl Industrial City
Rusayl Industrial City (1983) is Madayn's oldest and most central industrial estate, on the western edge of Muscat. Industrial land rents at OMR 1 per m2 per year, but the developed area is about 95% occupied, so plots are scarce.
Knowledge Oasis Muscat
Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) is Madayn's technology park in Muscat, opened in 2003, for ICT, data, software and knowledge-based companies. Offices rent at OMR 6–7 per m2 per month and applicants pass a business-plan review.
Sohar Industrial City
Sohar Industrial City (1992) is a Madayn estate of about 28–29 million m2 in North Al Batinah, next to Sohar Port and the Batinah Expressway. It hosts heavy and light manufacturing, with industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year.
Nizwa Industrial City
Nizwa Industrial City (1994) is Madayn's main inland estate, about two hours from Muscat in Al Dakhiliyah. It covers about 7.2 million m2, hosts building-materials, food and oil-service firms, and rents industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year.
Sur Industrial City
Sur Industrial City (1999) is a Madayn estate of about 36 million m2 in South Al Sharqiyah, around 200 km from Muscat. It offers natural gas, coastal plots with sea access and industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year, aimed at petrochemicals, mining and marine industries.
Raysut Industrial City
Raysut Industrial City (1992) is Madayn's estate in Salalah, Dhofar, about 4 km from the Port of Salalah. It covers about 4 million m2, is about 98% occupied and is expanding towards 10 million m2, with industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year.
Al Buraimi Industrial City
Al Buraimi Industrial City (1998) is a Madayn estate of about 14.4 million m2 on the Oman–UAE border next to Al Ain. Madayn lists rent of 500 baisas per m2 per year and a 50% cut in rent and service costs for five years, aimed at manufacturers serving the UAE market.
Al Suwayq Industrial City
Al Suwaiq Industrial City is Madayn's newest estate in North Al Batinah (about 12.2 million m2), aimed at food, fisheries and light manufacturing. Phase 1 infrastructure is being procured in 2026, so it suits early movers with a flexible timeline.
Al Mudhaibi Industrial Area
Al Mudhaibi Industrial City is a Madayn estate in North Al Sharqiyah that is still in its first infrastructure phase in 2026. It has attracted 14 projects worth about OMR 15 million and offers two rent-free years on industrial land.
Mahas Industrial City
Mahas Industrial City is Madayn's 1.5 million m2 estate in Khasab, Musandam, overlooking the Strait of Hormuz. It is operational, with about 20 projects and OMR 45.7 million of cumulative investment by end-2025, and suits building materials, packaging, food and light industry.
Al Wadi Al Kabeer Industrial City
Al Wadi Al Kabir Industrial City is an established industrial and workshop district in Muttrah, Muscat, operated by Madayn since 2022. It suits garages, workshops, warehouses and wholesale trade, and is being rehabilitated under a new regulatory framework approved in 2025.
Samail Industrial City
Samail Industrial City is an operational Madayn estate of about 11.9 million m2 in Ad Dakhiliyah, on the Muscat–Nizwa road. It hosts over 100 operating projects in marble, building materials, chemicals, metal, wood and food, and leases industrial land at OMR 1 per m2.
Thumrait Industrial City
Thumrait Industrial City is a planned 4 million m2 Madayn estate in Dhofar, north of Salalah, aimed at mining, minerals processing and agricultural products. Phase 1 infrastructure was tendered in September 2026, so it is not yet operational.