We are pleased to welcome the first-ever IFN Oman Report: a comprehensive exploration of the Islamic finance industry in Oman, its prospects for growth, and the opportunities and challenges presented along the way. 

The Islamic finance industry in Oman has generated strong interest from both international and domestic players, and sustained support from regulators and authorities has contributed toward the development of a robust, unique and rapidly growing sector that has already exceeded initial expectations. The country has already made its mark on the global Islamic finance market, with valuable contributions including its rigorous requirements for Shariah boards. As the last GCC country to implement Islamic finance, Oman has succeeded in drawing from the experiences of other countries to achieve best practice in its own industry, with a dedicated Islamic banking department to oversee the sector and a High Shariah Supervisory Authority to advise on Fiqh. Both the Central Bank and the Capital Market Authority have been supportive of the industry’s development, contributing to its rapid growth. 

The retail market has seen strong progress with the four Islamic windows and two fully-fledged Islamic banks expanding rapidly and opening multiple new branches. The capital market is well on the way, with a benchmark set by the government’s inaugural Sukuk in 2015, while the Takaful sector is also growing. Continuous innovation, digital expansion, a focus on customer service and a willingness to entertain new ideas have set Oman firmly on the map for Islamic finance, and the future looks bright. 

In this report I am delighted to present a host of features: including an industry roadmap of Islamic finance in Oman over the next five years (with key insights from leading practitioners), along with a look at new developments shaping the Omani capital markets, an exploration of the Shariah compliant investment landscape, new adventures in private equity, an analysis of Sukuk structuring, in-depth explorations of recent issuances including the seminal sovereign Sukuk, and much more. 

I wish you an enjoyable read, and we look forward to building on these firm foundations to support Oman’s Islamic finance industry toward growth.