ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi state-owned holding company ADQ and private equity firm CVC Capital Partners are among the suitors that have shown interest in NMC Health’s core hospital business, sources told Reuters.
Hospital operators in the region have reported higher profits for last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to higher in-patient occupancy.
NMC has hired advisers for the sale of NMC’s health care business in the UAE and Oman, which sources said could generate around $1 billion.
ADQ is serious about the transaction, which would make sense for the nascent wealth fund, whose portfolio includes Abu Dhabi Health Services Co. (Seha), two sources said. They declined to be named as the matter is not public.
Saudi Arabian health care operator Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group (HMG) has been invited to the process, said one of the two sources and a third source.
Hospital chain operator Mediclinic is also in the running, one of the sources said.
An NMC spokesman said: “A process to explore the possibilities of a sale was launched last month and, while it is understandably attracting considerable interest, it is at an early stage.”
ADQ and HMG were unavailable to comment when contacted by Reuters. CVC declined to comment. Mediclinic said it cannot comment on market speculation.
The deal is active and investor talks with management have started, but the candidates have yet to submit non-binding bids and there is no guarantee it will lead to a sale, the sources said.
NMC, founded in the 1970s, became the largest private health care provider in the UAE, but ran into trouble.
Last year, the disclosure of more than $4 billion in hidden debt left some UAE and overseas lenders with heavy losses that prompted legal battles to try to recover money owed.
But NMC said in February that gross revenues from its UAE and Oman business was $1.12 billion, 11 percent ahead of the business plan, while EBITDA of $87.6 million was also significantly ahead of its plan.
Banking sources said the transaction was a price discovery exercise to determine whether NMC’s business can get the value its creditors seek, or whether the business should keep the assets, complete the restructuring, and sell when they can achieve the value they want.
Abu Dhabi fund, CVC said to be among suitors for $1bn NMC hospital business
https://arab.news/bqk58
Abu Dhabi fund, CVC said to be among suitors for $1bn NMC hospital business
- NMC hires advisers for possible sale
- Pandemic boost to private hospital revenues
Oman launches 2026–2030 SME plan as fiscal recovery strengthens
RIYADH: Oman has launched a five-year plan to expand its small and medium-sized enterprise sector, seeking to deepen private-sector growth as the sultanate consolidates recent fiscal gains and returns to investment-grade status.
The 2026–2030 SME Sector Implementation Plan, unveiled by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority, or Riyada, aims to improve market access, boost SME competitiveness and raise the sector’s contribution to the economy, according to the Oman News Agency.
The plan supports innovation and entrepreneurship while promoting the transition to a knowledge-based economy, the Oman News Agency reported.
The initiative forms part of Oman Vision 2040 and the Eleventh Five-Year Development Plan, which prioritize private-sector expansion, diversification and job creation.
The launch follows Fitch Ratings’ decision earlier this month to upgrade Oman to investment-grade status, raising the country’s long-term foreign-currency rating to BBB- from BB+. Fitch cited stronger public finances, a sharper reduction in government debt and an improved external position.
“The implementation plan is based on several key strategic pillars, most notably: market access and value chains, financing and investment, enhancing local content, and developing a culture of entrepreneurship, skills, and innovation,” the ONA report stated.
It added: “These pillars were developed through a participatory approach with contributions from several government and private entities supporting the SME sector, and are based on studies, benchmarking, and international best practices.”
The plan also includes a package of specialized programs and initiatives targeting different stages of SME growth. These include measures to improve readiness for expansion and exports, integrated financing programs, initiatives supporting handicrafts and the creative economy, and the development of a network of entrepreneurship centers across Oman’s governorates.
Riyada said implementation of the plan would help strengthen the sustainability of SMEs, create quality job opportunities and empower entrepreneurs to build viable and scalable businesses, enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy.
Oman has made significant progress in strengthening fiscal discipline, reducing government debt to around 36 percent of GDP in 2025, down from about 68 percent in 2020.
With the outlook remaining stable, Fitch expects the budget deficit to remain at a manageable level of around 1 percent of GDP in 2026 and 2027, assuming an average Brent crude price of $63 per barrel. The fiscal breakeven oil price is estimated at around $67 per barrel over the same period.
