Sharjah Attracts AED7.7 Billion in Foreign Investment in 2025; Job Creation Rises

The Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) has reported strong foreign direct investment performance in 2025, with the emirate recording a 45% year-on-year increase in project numbers, an 8.8% rise in capital investment, and 25.7% growth in job creation compared with 2024.

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.

Overall, Sharjah recorded 331 domestic and foreign investment projects in 2025, representing combined investments of AED12.8 billion and the creation of 11,898 jobs.

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), said Sharjah’s economic development is closely linked to quality of life, service development, and creating a stable environment that supports society and the economy.

“The emirate’s continued growth across investment indicators reflects a clear development vision that places social and economic impact on a unified path, within an integrated ecosystem driven by institutions across both the public and private sectors,” she said.

Sheikha Bodour added that the growth was contributing to expanding opportunities for young people, entrepreneurs, and high-quality projects, while strengthening Sharjah’s ability to attract investments that support innovation and sustainable job creation.

Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of Invest in Sharjah, said the 2025 FDI indicators reflected Sharjah’s progress as a reliable investment destination supported by strong economic sectors, a flexible regulatory environment, efficient infrastructure, and its ability to attract high-quality projects aligned with sustainable growth objectives.

He added that the composition of investment projects demonstrated a balance between new market entrants and expansion linked to the reinvestment of existing businesses.

According to the report, Sharjah recorded 188 domestic investments, 96 projects across new forms of investments, and 47 greenfield projects in 2025.

Food and beverages accounted for 28% of total projects, followed by consumer products at 20%, reflecting strong domestic and regional demand. Investments also spanned business services, industrial equipment, logistics, technology, and manufacturing sectors.

Approximately 75% of investment projects are already operational within the emirate, signalling a shift from announced investments to realised economic output.

Sharjah’s FDI landscape also reflected geographic diversification, with investments originating from markets including India, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, alongside regional inflows.

The investment data and insights referenced in the report were sourced from fDi Markets, the Financial Times’ database for cross-border greenfield investments.