Manama: Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, confirmed the continued robust growth in Bahrain's urban development and investment sectors. During the first half of 2025, a total of 4,299 building permits were issued through the national permit platform, Benayat, representing an increase of 31.5% compared to the same period in 2024.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the total licensed construction area reached approximately 1.743 million square metres, marking a rise of 57.9% in comparison with the first half of the previous year. These figures reflect the Kingdom's supportive environment for investment and proactive government facilitation.
The minister added that the enhancements to the Benayat system have introduced several new services, including permits for renovation, fencing, subdivision, plot amalgamation, change of land use, and land reclamation (land-based and marine), as well as modifications for new buildings. The integration with the Information and eGovernment Authority ensures ongoing improvements in permit issuance procedures, in line with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030.
Benayat serves as Bahrain's unified platform for all building permits, enabling engineering offices to apply electronically, track applications, pay fees, and access requirements via an interactive national map. The system is integrated with the National Geographical Information System, which supports over 30 governmental and private entities and incorporates more than 300 data layers. This integration accelerates procedures, assists planning, enhances service quality, and strengthens coordination across entities to meet sustainable development objectives.
The ministry continues to develop the system under the supervision of the Ministerial Committee for Development Projects and Infrastructure, in coordination with the Information and eGovernment Authority, to further streamline processes and improve the client and investor experience.