The Sultanate of Oman has witnessed a notable increase in intellectual property (IP) protection filings, particularly in patents and trademarks, contributing to its advancement in both global and regional rankings. Oman climbed 60 positions in the Patents by Origin Index, reaching 38th place globally compared to 98th in 2024. In the Trademarks by Origin Index, the Sultanate improved from 60th place in 2024 to 47th in 2025, reflecting the growing strength of Oman’s business environment, the determination of Omani companies to build strong brand identities, and a rising culture of innovation and IP protection among individuals and enterprises. Furthermore, Oman advanced in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, issued by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), ranking 69th worldwide out of 139 economies, up five places from 74th in 2024. This national achievement highlights the continuous progress of Oman’s innovation ecosystem and the increasing awareness of IP protection as a driver of competitiveness and business development. The GII is based on around 80 indicators covering both innovation inputs and outputs, including R&D, human capital, investment, infrastructure, IP protection, and technological and creative outputs, offering a comprehensive assessment of innovation landscapes. This year’s report highlighted Oman’s growing role in fostering innovation, particularly in knowledge and technology outputs, institutional strength, and infrastructure — underscoring the country’s ability to convert knowledge investment into measurable outcomes. According to the report, Oman achieved its strongest performance in knowledge and technology outputs, institutions, and infrastructure. Knowledge and technology outputs improved from 87th to 72nd place (17.2% increase), institutions advanced from 78th to 66th (15.4% increase), while infrastructure rose from 84th to 72nd (14.3% increase). Market sophistication also improved from 61st to 57th (6.6% increase), signaling enhanced flexibility and attractiveness to investors. Nasra bint Sultan Al-Habsi, Director General of Commerce at MoCIIP, emphasized that Oman’s progress in the GII is the result of sustained efforts to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and to enhance IP-related legislation. She stressed that this achievement reflects the ministry’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for innovation and encouraging businesses to invest in knowledge and creativity in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. Meanwhile, Eng. Khalid bin Hamoud Al-Hinai, Director of the National Intellectual Property Office at MoCIIP, highlighted that Oman’s improved ranking reflects the growing culture of IP registration, noting the increasing demand from inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesses to file patents and trademarks. “We have observed a remarkable rise in filings, supported by awareness campaigns, incentives for researchers, students, and SMEs, as well as collaboration with WIPO in knowledge sharing and capacity building,” he said. A key driver has been Ministerial Decision No. 206/2018, which reduced industrial property service fees by 90% for students and 50% for SMEs, significantly lowering R&D costs and stimulating local innovation. Oman’s progress in the Global Innovation Index marks an important step toward building a knowledge-based, diversified, and sustainable economy, affirming IP as a cornerstone of the country’s competitiveness at both regional and international levels. It reflects the government’s dedication to promoting innovation, strengthening institutional and technological frameworks, and achieving the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 in building an integrated knowledge economy.
