It attracted 7.74 billion dirhams.. Sharjah records strong growth in projects and investments during 2025

The Sharjah Foreign Direct Investment Office (Invest in Sharjah) revealed that Sharjah has achieved advanced performance in foreign direct investment flows, recording in 2025 a growth of 45% in the number of projects, 8.8% in capital investments, and 25.7% in job opportunities, compared to statistics for the year 2024, in clear confirmation of the increasing attractiveness of Sharjah and the strengthening of its position on the global investment map.

Invest in Sharjah stated that the value of capital investments amounted to 7.74 billion dirhams, while the emirate attracted 142 foreign direct investment projects during the year 2025 compared to 98 projects in 2024. These projects contributed to providing 5,673 new job opportunities compared to 4,514 opportunities in the previous year, which reflects the expansion of investment activity in the emirate and its ability to attract quality projects with a direct economic impact, in addition to enhancing Its position as a stable business environment capable of supporting long-term growth and creating added value, whose effects extend to various vital sectors.

A strong incubator for projects, investments and innovation
Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), said: “Economic development in Sharjah is directly linked to the quality of life, the development of services, and the creation of a stable environment that supports people, society, and the economy together. The emirate’s growth in investment indicators reflects a clear development vision that places the social and economic impact on one path, within an integrated system that various institutions in the public and private sectors work on.”

Her Highness added: “This growth contributes to expanding opportunities for young people, entrepreneurs and quality projects, and enhances Sharjah’s ability to attract investments that support innovation, generate sustainable job opportunities, and open new areas for growth and expansion. It also establishes a more vibrant economic environment capable of embracing talent and competencies and transforming ambitious ideas into projects with a real and sustainable impact.”

High economic efficiency and solid confidence
The data shows that foreign direct investment in Sharjah moves within an active and integrated economic system, as the total number of local and foreign investment projects in the emirate reached 331 local and foreign projects during the year 2025, with total investments reaching about 12.8 billion dirhams, which contributed to providing 11,898 job opportunities, which reflects the expansion of the emirate’s economic base and the multiple growth engines in it.

For his part, Executive Director of Invest in Sharjah, Mohammed Juma Al Musharrekh, said: “The indicators recorded in foreign direct investment flows for the year 2025 reflect the advanced position that Sharjah has reached as a reliable investment destination, supported by the efficiency of its economic sectors, the flexibility of its legislative environment, and the efficiency of its infrastructure, in addition to its ability to attract quality projects that are consistent with sustainable growth trends, which constitutes a basic pillar of its priorities, thus enhancing the emirate’s competitiveness at the regional and global levels.”

He added: “The composition of the overall investment projects in the emirate reflects a clear balance between new establishment projects and expansions associated with the reinvestment of existing companies, which is indicated by the data recorded for the year 2025, where the projects were distributed between 188 local investments, and 96 within the new forms of investment, in addition to 47 new projects, which reflects the depth of confidence in the business environment in Sharjah, and its ability to stimulate growth from within the market in addition to attracting new investments, in a way that enhances the continuity of investment flows and limits Of its fluctuations.”

Investing in the diversification of the real economy
At the sector level, foreign direct investment in Sharjah highlights its close connection to the real economy and its diversity, as the food and beverage sector topped the list of sectors with a percentage of 28% of the total projects, followed by the consumer products sector with a percentage of 20%, an indication of growing internal and regional demand. Investment flows also included other vital sectors, including commercial services, industrial equipment, and logistics services, in addition to technology and manufacturing industries, which reflects the expansion of the foreign direct investment base and its distribution across multiple production and service activities that support diversity and multiple sources of income.

Indicators related to the implementation of projects on the ground confirm the strength of this trend, as about 75% of investment projects have actual operating sites within the emirate and have moved from initial preparation procedures to work on the ground, which reflects the transition of investments from the announcement stage to implementation, which enhances their direct impact in supporting economic activity and expanding the production base.

The map of foreign direct investment in the emirate reflects a remarkable diversity in its geographical sources, with investment flows from major markets including India, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, in addition to regional investments, which enhances Sharjah’s position as an international investment platform that links different markets, and provides a business environment capable of attracting economic partners from diverse backgrounds.

It is noteworthy that these indicators were based on the FDI Markets database of the Financial Times newspaper, the world leader in monitoring new cross-border foreign direct investments, which places Sharjah’s performance among reliable global benchmark indicators, and confirms its growing position as one of the most prominent and influential investment destinations in the world.