Oman’s Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority, Riyada, has opened a new building in Ibra, North Al Sharqiyah, featuring the country’s second handicrafts entrepreneurship center outside Muscat’s governorates.
The facility also includes a Riyada Business Center and the Omani Handicrafts House. Built with support from the North Al Sharqiyah Governor’s Office, it brings incubation, training, production and marketing services together for startups, SMEs and artisans.
The handicrafts center will focus on tailoring, textiles and leather products. Its services include training, production support, product development and innovation, with the aim of helping artisans turn their skills into sustainable businesses while adapting traditional Omani crafts to modern market needs.
North Al Sharqiyah has 1,511 artisans and 1,543 handicraft enterprises. Textile products made from cotton or wool account for the largest share of activity, representing 1,358 artisans and 1,108 enterprises, according to figures cited in the announcement.
The business center will offer workspaces, mentoring, advisory services and business-model development support. The Omani Handicrafts House will showcase traditional products and provide a retail outlet to help artisans reach more customers.
The governorate has 9,021 small and medium-sized enterprises, including 6,522 registered with Riyada and 2,499 holding Riyada Entrepreneurship Cards. Ibra alone is home to 1,900 SMEs.
Source: Oman Daily
