Brunei’s Economy Forecast to Grow 2.6% in 2025 and 2026 Amid Strong Post-Pandemic Recovery
Bandar Seri Begawan, The Gulf Observer: Brunei’s economy is projected to grow by 2.6 per cent in both 2025 and 2026, following a robust expansion of 4.2 per cent in 2024—the country’s strongest economic performance in decades—according to the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), as reported by Xinhua.
AMRO’s latest regional economic outlook highlighted broad-based growth across Brunei’s key sectors. A significant recovery in upstream oil and gas activities was a major contributor, bolstered by accelerated production from newly developed oil wells that began operating ahead of schedule in October 2023.
Further momentum was provided by the completion of major post-pandemic rejuvenation projects, which revitalized infrastructure and operations in the energy sector. Meanwhile, non-oil and gas industries also gained ground, with downstream processing and continued growth in the services sector playing a pivotal role.
Despite the strong rebound, the report underscored the long-term challenge of achieving a structurally diversified and inclusive economy. Brunei’s government has identified five strategic sectors for focused development: downstream oil and gas, food production, tourism, information and communications technology (ICT), and services.
These priority areas are expected to drive Brunei’s transformation toward a more sustainable and resilient economic model, ensuring balanced growth beyond reliance on hydrocarbons.
