Myanmar

A major factor constraining the development of the real estate sector is the lack of a mature mortgage market. Ambiguities on regulations related to immovable property rights, and incomplete or incorrect ownership records, are two of the main reasons why a mortgage culture has not yet developed in Myanmar.

In an effort to alleviate problems associated with rapid urban growth, the Yangon regional government announced the formation of the New Yangon Development Company (NYDC) in March 2018. The NYDC is tasked with overseeing the development of a new city on the western outskirts of the commercial capital.

After an initial property boom in the first few years after political and economic reforms began in 2011, Myanmar’s real estate sector has faced some challenges in more recent years. The country’s main real estate market, Yangon, experienced peak office rental prices as high as $110 per sq metre in 2013 and 2014, putting it on a par with...

Home to one of the world’s oldest oil and gas industries, the energy sector has long been a key pillar of Myanmar’s economy. While the sector continues to play an essential role in economic output, its true potential has not yet been realised, partly due to a counterproductive fiscal regime and unfavourable market conditions.

In January 2018 the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MoEE) authorised four major power projects using its new “notice to proceed” approval process. If brought to fruition, these projects will collectively add more than 3000 MW of generation capacity to the national grid. Three projects will make use of imported LNG and are located at Ahlone...

The previous administration, led by U Thein Sein, awarded oil and gas blocks that offered companies the chance to earn handsome margins. However, since the fall of oil prices in 2014, production-sharing contracts (PSCs) have become less attractive. As such, private investors have called for fiscal reform to spur exploration activity. According...