Sharjah: The Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) has reported strong foreign direct investment performance in 2025, with the emirate recording a 45 percent year-on-year increase in project numbers, an 8.8 percent rise in capital investment, and 25.7 percent growth in job creation compared with 2024.
According to Emirates News Agency, capital investment reached AED7.74 billion in 2025, with Sharjah attracting 142 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, up from 98 in 2024. The projects generated 5,673 new jobs, compared with 4,514 in the previous year, reflecting the emirate's ability to attract high-quality investments with direct economic impact.
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), emphasized the link between Sharjah's economic development and quality of life, service development, and a stable environment supporting society and the economy. She noted the emirate's growth in investment indicators as a reflection of a clear development vision aligning social and economic impact within an integrated ecosystem driven by institutions across both public and private sectors.
Sheikha Bodour highlighted that the growth expanded opportunities for young people, entrepreneurs, and high-quality projects, while strengthening Sharjah's capacity to attract investments supporting innovation and sustainable job creation. The broader investment landscape demonstrates a dynamic and well-integrated economic ecosystem, with Sharjah recording a total of 331 domestic and foreign investment projects in 2025. This represents combined investments of AED12.8 billion and the creation of 11,898 jobs, showcasing the scale and diversity of economic activity across the emirate.
Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of Invest in Sharjah, remarked that the 2025 FDI indicators exemplified Sharjah's progress as a reliable investment destination. This progress is supported by robust economic sectors, a flexible regulatory environment, efficient infrastructure, and the emirate's ability to attract high-quality projects aligned with sustainable growth objectives. He pointed out the balance in the composition of total investment projects between new market entrants and expansions linked to the reinvestment of existing businesses.
Al Musharrkh further added that Sharjah recorded 188 domestic investments, 96 projects across new forms of investments, and 47 greenfield projects in 2025, demonstrating confidence in Sharjah's business environment and its capacity to stimulate growth while continuing to attract new investment. The food and beverages sector led all sectors, accounting for 28 percent of total projects, followed by consumer products at 20 percent, highlighting strong domestic and regional demand.
Investment activity also spanned business services, industrial equipment, logistics, technology, and manufacturing, illustrating the breadth of FDI activity across both production-based and service-driven sectors. This diversification supports different sources of income. Approximately 75 percent of investment projects are already operational within the emirate, indicating a shift from announced investments to realized economic output.
Sharjah's FDI landscape reflects strong geographic diversification, with investments originating from key markets including India, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, alongside regional inflows. The investment data and insights referenced in this report, sourced from 'fDi Markets', the Financial Times' leading database for cross-border greenfield investments, position Sharjah's performance within a trusted global benchmark. This underscores the emirate's rising profile among the world's most effectual investment destinations.