Invest NI support secures £41m of investment in Fermanagh & Omagh District Council area
Invest Northern Ireland performance results for 2025/26 show that its support has helped secure £41m of business investment in the Fermanagh & Omagh District Council area – nearly three times more than last year.
The agency offered £8m of assistance to help businesses in the area innovate, increase productivity and create new jobs. 83 new jobs will be created in the area as a result of this support.
Speaking about the results, Ethna McNamee, Head of Western Regional Business, Invest NI, said: “Businesses across Fermanagh and Omagh continue to demonstrate ambition, resilience and a strong commitment to growth. These results show the confidence companies have in the district and the important role regional businesses are playing in Northern Ireland’s wider economic performance.
“We have some real success stories in the region. During the year we announced support for a £2.9m investment by Lisnaskea-based Ready Egg to boost productivity and accelerate sales growth. And just last week we announced Omagh-based cyber security company LoughTec is creating 15 new jobs as part of its plans to more than double its export sales by the end of 2028.”
Other local companies are also scaling with Invest NI support. Derrylin-based Ernco Group secured a share of a €3.2 million contract to replace road signs in the Republic of Ireland, while Oatco is using support from Invest NI’s Ambition to Grow programme and its Consumer Insights team to access market intelligence, consumer insights and international trade opportunities.
Carrickmore-based McGarrity Bros is also being supported through Ambition to Grow as it expands into markets outside Northern Ireland, creating four new roles and develops new product lines.
“We are working with more companies in the area than before, thanks to our programmes such as Ambition to Grow and Business Innovation Grant,” added Ethna. “These programmes are helping us reach small businesses that previously would not have been able to access Invest NI support. We have helped 26 entrepreneurs and SMEs in the Fermanagh and Omagh area innovate, create good jobs and increase external sales through these programmes to date. Significant support was also provided to businesses undertaking innovation and research and development (R&D) projects during the year, helping companies develop new products, improve processes, enhance productivity and strengthen their competitiveness in external markets.
“Our strong relationship with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council also ensures businesses engaging with council programmes that have export potential get referred to Invest NI. In conjunction with the Council, South West College and Intertrade Ireland, we held a series of regional business advice clinics in towns such as Irvinestown, Carrickmore, Fintona, Lisnaskea, Enniskillen and Omagh to connect aspiring entrepreneurs and established businesses owners with the right people and support. We also ran Business Breakfasts on access to finance, export advice, R&D, skills and productivity in the local area to engage with businesses, helping them understand what support is available and how we can support them.”
The Fermanagh & Omagh District Council Briefing has now been updated and includes data on Invest NI support over the past five years (2021-22 to 2025-26).
