18 August 2026 · Bahrain · Market data · Strategy
Bahrain's non-oil economy grew 4.1% in 2025 — what that means for your 2026 plan
Insight cover — Bahrain's non-oil economy grew 4.1% in 2025 — what
The Ministry of Finance & National Economy's Bahrain Economic Report Annual 2025 puts real GDP growth at +3.5% for FY2025, with the non-oil economy up +4.1% — now 85.8% of GDP.
For marketers, the sector table is the interesting part. The fastest-growing non-oil activities in FY2025 were professional, scientific & technical services (+6.4%) and accommodation & food services (+6.4%), followed by financial services & insurance (+5.6%) — still the Kingdom's largest single activity at 17.6% of GDP — then construction (+5.0%), transport (+4.7%), real estate (+4.3%) and wholesale & retail trade (+4.2%).
Three planning implications:
Hospitality and F&B budgets are chasing real demand. Bahrain welcomed 7.3 million visitors (+10.9%) spending BHD 72.6 per visitor per day (+5.0%), with tourism revenue at BHD 2.03 billion (+7.2%). Campaigns tied to arrivals — retail, dining, attractions — have a growing audience, not a stable one.
Payments growth is outrunning credit. POS and e-commerce combined reached BHD 5.15 billion (+10.4%) while retail bank loans grew 5.3%. Conversion-led campaigns should treat digital payment behavior as the norm, not the early-adopter edge.
State the period, always. The IMF has forecast a 2026 contraction even as the official FY2025 actual reads +3.5% — different periods, not a contradiction. Quoting them side by side without dates is how credibility dies in a boardroom.
Source: Ministry of Finance & National Economy, Bahrain Economic Report Annual 2025. Figures verified 18 August 2026.