Commercial licenses to individuals drop 10% in Q1 2025 amid shifts in key sectors
General trade licenses declined while restaurants and contracting activities grew; micro-business licenses surged 227% following new freelance regulations; company license issuance hiked 21.3% as ministry processed 14,000 applications
The number of commercial licenses issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to individuals declined by nearly 10 percent in the first quarter of 2025. A total of 520 licenses were issued during this period, compared to 578 licenses issued in the same quarter of 2024.
Monthly data show a downward trend across the quarter, with 196 licenses issued in January, followed by 180 in February, and 144 in March.
According to the Ministry’s data, general trade and related services topped the list of most licensed activities, representing 44.4 percent of the total with 231 licenses.
This was followed by restaurant and accommodation services, which accounted for 12.88 percent with 67 licenses, and maintenance and repair activities, which represented 10.4 percent with 54 licenses. Combined, these three activities made up 67.7 percent of the total licenses issued to individuals.
However, the general trade sector saw a decline of 13.8 percent in the number of new licenses compared to the same quarter last year. In contrast, restaurant and accommodation licenses grew by 3 percent.
Textile and clothing licenses dropped by 8 percent, while maintenance and repair services saw a significant drop of 34 percent. On the other hand, contracting and related services grew by 23.5 percent.
Other licensed activities included textile, clothing, and leather industries, which accounted for 8.8 percent with 46 licenses. Transportation, storage, and related services saw 29 licenses, while real estate activities had 22, and contracting services had 21.
Rental activities accounted for 10 licenses, followed by professional, scientific, and technical services with 9. The food industry, as well as machinery and equipment repair and installation, received 6 licenses each.
Additionally, information and communications activities were granted 5 licenses, furniture manufacturing received 4, and tourism, printing, and building services each received 2 licenses. Single licenses were issued for arts and entertainment, finance and insurance, administrative services, and educational activities.
Meanwhile, the number of commercial licenses issued to companies grew by 21.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 8,390 compared to 6,919 in the same quarter of the previous year.
The number of licenses currently being processed increased to 514, out of 14,000 total applications. These included 8,287 rejected, 13 new, 705 approved, 641 cancelled, 4,526 established, and 705 currently being established.
Licensing for micro-enterprises and small businesses experienced a major boost, increasing by 227.25 percent to 1,453 licenses, up from 1,000 in the first quarter of 2024. This growth follows the Ministry of Commerce’s decision in August 2024 to facilitate freelance business regulation, covering 175 activities that can be operated without requiring a commercial premise.
The number of applications for free licenses reached 1,649, of which 1,449 were rejected, 5 were new, 1,685 approved, and 69 cancelled. As a result, 1,405 companies have been established under this category, with 114 more in the process of being set up.
