* Turning Jordan’s advantages into opportunities to expand economic activity
* Addressing production, financing and energy costs remains essential
* Directing investment toward productive and export-oriented sectors
* Developing infrastructure and supply chains to strengthen the economy
Amman – As economic and regional changes accelerate worldwide, new opportunities are emerging for Jordan’s national economy. Experts believe these opportunities could support growth and strengthen competitiveness if effectively utilized.
Economists say boosting growth prospects in 2027 requires building on Jordan’s existing strengths, particularly its stability and strategic geographic location, and turning them into investment and production opportunities capable of expanding economic activity and increasing the contribution of key sectors to GDP.
Speaking to Al-Ghad, they stressed the importance of accelerating strategic projects, improving the investment climate and directing capital toward productive and export-oriented sectors. Such measures would strengthen the economy’s competitiveness and open new markets for Jordanian products and services.
They noted that industry, mining, transport, logistics and tourism have significant potential for growth and expansion, alongside promising opportunities in renewable energy and exportable services. They also called for addressing challenges related to production, financing and energy costs, while developing infrastructure and supply chains to help the economy capitalize on regional developments, sustain growth and create jobs.
Jordan’s Economic Performance in 2026
Jordan’s economy grew by 3% in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 2.8% during the same period last year. Growth was supported by positive performance across several sectors, particularly agriculture, which expanded by 7.8%, manufacturing by 6.2% and electricity by 5%.
In foreign trade, total exports increased by 11.2% during the first eight months of the year, reaching approximately JD7.46 billion, including JD6.46 billion in national exports. The trade gap narrowed by 9.6%, with the deficit declining to around JD5.83 billion.
Inflation stood at 2.26% during the first nine months of the year, while unemployment among Jordanians fell to 21% in the second quarter. Tourism income, meanwhile, rose by 4.9% during the first nine months, reaching approximately $6.35 billion.
These indicators come as the International Monetary Fund expects Jordan’s economic growth to reach 3.1% in 2027, compared with 2.7% this year.
Al-Sarhan: Promising Opportunities for Jordan’s Economy in 2027, With Investment as a Priority
Economic expert Dr. Mohammad Al-Hadab Al-Sarhan said 2027 offers genuine opportunities to accelerate Jordan’s economic growth, particularly given the IMF’s forecast that growth will rise to 3.1%, compared with an expected 2.7% this year.
He explained that these projections reflect the economy’s ability to overcome regional pressures. However, achieving stronger growth requires making use of available opportunities to increase production and exports rather than relying solely on improvements in external conditions.
Al-Sarhan said the main opportunities include increasing private investment and benefiting from the gradual recovery in regional trade. He noted that foreign direct investment inflows rose by 25.1% in 2025, reaching approximately $2 billion.
He stressed that the priority in 2027 should be turning this investment interest into actual productive projects by simplifying licensing procedures, providing serviced land and offering incentives linked to export volumes and the number of jobs created, rather than granting benefits that are not tied to clear economic outcomes.
Al-Sarhan added that accelerating major projects in water, energy and transport could attract additional investment, provided their economic impact extends beyond the construction phase.
He proposed preparing a list of complementary investment projects for each major strategic initiative and presenting them to investors alongside the implementation process. This would allow new infrastructure to attract factories, companies and productive services, turning government investment into a catalyst for larger and more sustainable private-sector investment.
He pointed out that manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food industries and technology are among the sectors best positioned to drive growth. He cited the 8.3% increase in industrial exports during the first eight months of 2026, which brought their value to JD6.04 billion.
He emphasized the need to focus on higher-value-added industries, strengthen links between major factories and local suppliers, and support research, development and innovation to improve productivity and create more employment opportunities for skilled Jordanians.
Al-Sarhan added that tourism and exportable services offer important growth opportunities next year, particularly following the 4.9% increase in tourism income during the first nine months of 2026 to approximately $6.35 billion.
He explained that the priority should shift from simply increasing tourist arrivals to raising average visitor spending and extending stays. He also called for expanding exports of digital, engineering, educational and healthcare services, which can generate foreign-currency earnings and employment without requiring massive capital investment.
Al-Sarhan said improving trade with regional markets creates an opportunity for Jordan to expand exports, particularly to Iraq, Syria and Gulf countries, while making better use of trade agreements to access new markets.
He noted that the 11.2% increase in total exports during the first eight months of 2026 was a positive development. However, sustaining this performance requires increasing value-added national exports and diversifying markets and products to reduce exposure to fluctuations in demand across a limited number of markets.
He added that strengthening the economy’s resilience to external changes requires reducing productive sectors’ exposure to higher energy prices, supply-chain disruptions and water scarcity. This can be achieved by expanding renewable energy and storage capacity, reusing treated wastewater for industrial and agricultural purposes, and diversifying raw material sources and supply routes.
He also called for developing export insurance and guarantee mechanisms to help Jordanian companies enter new markets and reduce the risks associated with international trade.
Al-Sarhan believes the most important economic opportunity in 2027 lies in moving toward growth driven by private investment, exports and productivity. This would strengthen the economy’s ability to adapt to crises without depending on improvements in regional conditions.
He emphasized the importance of regularly monitoring three indicators: the volume of investment actually implemented, growth in national exports and the number of sustainable jobs created. These, he said, are the real measures of economic policy success and its impact on citizens’ lives.
Al-Hamouri: Supporting Productive Sectors and Addressing Energy Costs Are Key to Growth in 2027
Economics Professor Dr. Qasem Al-Hamouri said the national economy has opportunities to strengthen growth next year. However, capitalizing on them requires focusing on sectors capable of expanding production and creating jobs, while addressing challenges that continue to limit the economy’s competitiveness.
He noted that current growth rates, which remain below 3%, need to rise further to produce a meaningful impact on unemployment and poverty.
Investment remains one of the most important factors requiring greater attention to boost economic growth, he said. The investment environment and its governing legislation have yet to reach the required level and need further development to strengthen Jordan’s competitiveness against neighboring countries attracting regional investment.
Al-Hamouri explained that improving the investment climate requires greater stability in regulations and legislation, consolidating the supervisory bodies overseeing the private sector, reducing overlapping jurisdictions and interference in business operations, and lowering financing costs, which remain an obstacle to corporate expansion and new projects.
He noted that tourism is a promising sector with the potential to contribute to economic growth. However, its performance remains highly vulnerable to regional conditions and instability, which affect tourist flows and related investment.
Al-Hamouri said industry represents an important alternative for boosting growth and creating jobs, requiring greater attention in government economic policies. The sector employs around a quarter of the Kingdom’s workforce and has the capacity to expand and increase its contribution to the economy if the right conditions are provided.
He stressed that industry faces challenges including high financing costs, continued regulatory interventions and procedures that hinder business operations, and high energy costs that undermine the competitiveness of Jordanian products. He added that the energy sector still needs a clear strategy to address existing imbalances.
Investors and businesses seeking to generate their own electricity through solar systems also face regulatory obstacles and complications, he said, while challenges in the electricity sector continue to affect production costs and the competitiveness of economic sectors, particularly industry.
Regarding water, Al-Hamouri stressed the importance of treating the issue as an economic and development priority. He said King Abdullah II’s focus on water during the opening of the ordinary parliamentary session sends a message that must be translated into clear government programs and measures, given the close link between water security, sustainable economic activity and the ability of different sectors to expand.
He also called for strengthening Jordan’s readiness in supply chains and logistics by developing the necessary infrastructure, establishing an advanced dry port and accelerating railway connectivity projects. These measures would reinforce Jordan’s position as a regional logistics hub, support trade and transport, and improve the economy’s ability to respond to external developments.
Diya: Transport, Logistics and Major Projects Can Boost Growth and Investment in 2027
Economic expert Munir Diya said Jordan possesses several advantages that can be used to strengthen economic growth and attract investment, foremost among them the Kingdom’s political and economic stability amid the challenges and tensions affecting the region.
He noted that these factors create opportunities for Jordan to strengthen its position as a regional hub for transport, logistics, transit trade and freight services.
Diya added that the performance of Aqaba Port in recent months reflects the potential of this sector, with transit trade increasing by more than 150%, driven by growing demand for land transport routes to neighboring markets, particularly Syria, Iraq and Gulf countries, amid disruptions affecting maritime shipping and the closure of certain waterways.
He stressed the importance of building on these indicators by completing major economic, infrastructure and transport projects and developing Aqaba Port’s facilities. Such measures would strengthen the Kingdom’s ability to attract regional trade flows and support national exports and re-exports.
He pointed out that the increase in total exports and re-exports by more than 14% highlights the importance of this sector and the need for continued investment in its logistical requirements.
Diya said continued implementation of major projects, particularly the Risha Gas Project, infrastructure developments and the Amra City project, would stimulate economic activity, create new investment opportunities, support productive sectors and increase their contribution to growth.
He noted that Jordan’s recent economic indicators, including foreign reserves reaching record levels, improved growth rates and increased investment inflows and national exports, represent positive factors that can be used to strengthen investor confidence and attract further foreign investment across different economic sectors.
He emphasized the importance of continuing to implement programs and projects under the Economic Modernization Vision, with a focus on key productive sectors. This would help strengthen the competitiveness of national exports and reduce production costs, particularly in industry and mining.
In this context, he highlighted the need to complete the delivery of natural gas to industrial zones and expand the use of renewable energy sources, including solar power. He also called for developing green hydrogen and green ammonia projects, given their potential to reduce energy costs and make investment in economic sectors more attractive.
Diya further called for introducing new packages of investment incentives and exemptions, simplifying company registration and business procedures, and improving the benefits offered to investors in areas such as residency and citizenship. These measures, he said, would strengthen Jordan’s competitiveness against regional countries and encourage new investment.
He added that improved confidence indicators issued by international institutions and credit rating agencies, reflecting a stable outlook for the Jordanian economy, give the Kingdom an opportunity to strengthen its competitive position and attract investment.
He stressed the importance of continuing measures that support growth in key sectors, particularly manufacturing and mining, and completing related projects given their role in driving economic growth and expanding the country’s productive base.
Source: Al-Ghad
