Brunei has an open economy favorable to foreign trade and FDI as it continues to diversify its economy away from its long-term reliance on oil and gas exports.  Investment opportunities in Brunei are driven both by government planning and consumer demand.

FDI is important to Brunei as it plays a key role in economic and technological development. Brunei encourages FDI in the domestic economy by offering various investment incentives and through activities conducted by the Ministry of Finance and Economy through the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB).

Formed in 2001, BEDB promotes Brunei as an investment destination to move its economy away from oil and gas revenue. BEDB is mandated to work with foreign and domestic investors to develop new economic opportunities where Brunei has competitive advantages, focusing on four key areas: attracting investments, strengthening local businesses, increasing Research and Development (R&D) and innovation, and delivering infrastructure projects.

BEDB has identified several industries as potential investment sectors in its efforts to diversify the economy, including Downstream Oil & Gas, Manufacturing & Other Services, Food, Tourism and Info-Communication Technology. Further information about BEDB is available at BEDB’s website.

The most attractive commercial sectors include:

•              Upstream and Downstream Oil and Gas

•              Commercial Aviation

•              Defense Equipment

•              Medical Equipment

•              Food and Beverage Franchises

In the agricultural sector, the following investment opportunities may offer lucrative investment opportunities:

•              Food Imports/Food Production

•              Fishing Industry/Aquaculture

Brunei’s ICT sector seeks to benefit from international expertise as Brunei continues to upgrade its national telecommunications infrastructure, and the financial sector seeks to modernize its banking industry with digital platforms.