Nizwa Industrial City is Madayn's largest estate in Oman's interior, opened in 1994 in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate about two hours from Muscat. It covers about 7.2 million m2, hosts 190+ operating projects, and rents industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year with up to 100% foreign ownership. It suits building-materials, food and oil-service businesses that serve the interior, Ibri and the Duqm corridor.
Where is Nizwa Industrial City?
The city is in the Wilayat of Nizwa, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, roughly 160–180 km inland from Muscat along the Muscat–Nizwa road. Madayn highlights its road links across Oman and towards Saudi Arabia and the UAE: the road west via Ibri leads to the Saudi border crossing, and the road south leads to Adam, the oil fields and Duqm.
There is no port nearby. Exporters truck containers to Sohar Port or to Duqm, and air cargo goes through Muscat International Airport.
Key figures
- Established: 1994.
- Area: about 7.2 million m2. In 2024, 3.1 million m2 was developed and about 76% occupied.
- Investment: cumulative investment above OMR 560 million by mid-2026.
- Projects: 193 operating projects and about 6,100 workers by mid-2026, with Omanisation above 45%.
- Recent activity: 20 projects worth more than OMR 12 million were settled in the first half of 2026, in oil and gas, chemicals, medical supplies, building materials and glass.
- Expansion: Phases 3 and 4 (about 1 million m2) were completed in 2024, and a master plan for Phase 5 (about 4.1 million m2) was being prepared.
Which industries are in Nizwa?
Madayn lists oil and gas logistics and technical support, catering and food supply, steel cutting and shaping, furniture and wood, plastic pipes and tanks, building materials (tiles, blocks, marble, ceramics), LPG products, glass and food production. Many factories use raw materials quarried or grown in the interior.
Facilities
- Fully serviced plots with common area maintenance
- Madayn Entrepreneurial Complex of 11,000 m2, built with the SME Development Authority, with workshop units for Riyada card holders
- Masar Services Centre, a single window for approvals, permits and licences
- A commercial area at the city entrance and a planned residential project for staff
Incentives and ownership rules
- Up to 100% foreign ownership; register an LLC or SPC first.
- Usufruct leases up to 30 years, renewable, with the right to sell or sublease buildings and add partners.
- Customs exemption on production inputs and machinery for licensed industrial projects, on approval.
- Reduced Madayn fees for SMEs with a Riyada card.
- Income tax at 15%; industrial companies can apply for a five-year non-renewable exemption under the 2017-amended Income Tax Law, subject to approval.
How to get land and a licence in Nizwa Industrial City
- Register your company on the Oman Business Platform (Invest Easy) with the right activity codes; see how to register a company online.
- Prepare a project profile with products, plot size, utility needs, staffing and environmental data.
- Apply to Madayn through its e-services or the Masar centre in Nizwa.
- Allocation: Madayn reviews the project and notifies you of the plot.
- Sign the usufruct agreement and pay the first rent and guarantees.
- Obtain permits: Madayn building permit, environmental permit and industrial registration.
- Build, connect utilities and recruit, then file work permits and visas.
Documents usually required
- Commercial Registration and company documents
- Passport copies of owners and authorised signatory
- Project profile or feasibility study and site layout
- Power, water and environmental data
- Riyada card, if applying for SME incentives
How much does it cost to set up in Nizwa Industrial City?
| Item | Rate (Madayn tariff, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Industrial land | OMR 1 per m2 per year |
| Residential land | OMR 2 per m2 per year |
| Service, logistics, commercial warehouse land | OMR 3 per m2 per year |
| Rate review | +15% every five years |
Example: a 5,000 m2 factory plot is about OMR 5,000 a year in land rent. Add common area maintenance, Madayn licence and service fees, permit fees, utility connections, construction, registration and Chamber fees, and staff costs. Madayn quotes these per project.
How long does it take?
Company registration takes a few days. Because Nizwa has spare developed land, allocation may be quicker than in the almost-full Rusayl estate, but it still depends on the project review. Plan extra time for environmental approval if you handle chemicals, LPG or heavy processes.
Pros and limitations
| Pros | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Developed land still available | No port; long trucking distance for exports |
| Local raw materials and interior market | Smaller supplier base than Muscat or Sohar |
| Road links to Ibri, Saudi Arabia and Duqm | Air cargo goes via Muscat, about two hours away |
| SME workshop complex | Not a free zone: no general duty holiday |
Nearby alternatives
- Samail Industrial City, between Nizwa and Muscat.
- Ibri Industrial City and the Al Dhahirah Special Economic Zone towards the Saudi border.
- Duqm Special Economic Zone for port-based or export projects.
See the full list on the industrial cities hub.
How Oman Register helps
Oman Register registers your company, prepares the Madayn land application for Nizwa and follows it through allocation, the lease and permits. We then handle work permits and visas, and can apply for SME incentives where you qualify.
Frequently asked questions
How much is land rent in Nizwa Industrial City?
Madayn lists industrial land at OMR 1 per m2 per year. Residential land is OMR 2 and service, logistics and commercial warehouse land OMR 3 per m2 per year under the Madayn tariff, with a 15% increase every five years.
What industries suit Nizwa Industrial City?
Building materials (tiles, blocks, marble, ceramics), glass, steel cutting, plastics, food production, catering and oil and gas support services are the main clusters. Many factories use raw materials from the interior.
Are there small workshops for SMEs in Nizwa?
Yes. Madayn built an 11,000 m2 Entrepreneurial Complex in Nizwa with the SME Development Authority for businesses holding a Riyada card.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a project in Nizwa Industrial City?
Yes. Madayn allows up to 100% foreign ownership in its industrial cities. You register an Omani LLC or SPC and then apply to Madayn for land.
How far is Nizwa Industrial City from Muscat?
Nizwa is roughly 160–180 km from Muscat, about a two-hour drive on the Muscat–Nizwa road. It also has road links towards Ibri and Saudi Arabia, and towards Duqm.
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.
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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.
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.
Ibri Industrial City
Ibri Industrial City is a 10 million m2 Madayn estate in Al Dhahirah, on the road to the Empty Quarter border crossing with Saudi Arabia. It suits oil and gas services, mineral processing, food and light industry, and had attracted about OMR 25 million by mid-2026.
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.