The UAE sealed hundreds of billions of dirhams in industrial deals, investments, and commitments this week at Make it in the Emirates 2026 — the fifth and largest edition of the country’s flagship industrial platform — closing a week that demonstrated the UAE is 'built to keep building'.
More than AED180 billion ($49 billion) in cumulative offtakes over the next decade was announced at the event — adding AED12 billion to an existing AED168 billion pipeline — with plans to localise more than 5,000 products.
More than 200 agreements were signed across offtakes, investments, projects, financing and enablement programmes.
The four-day event, hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, the ADNOC Group and L'IMAD, and organised by the ADNEC Group, welcomed 146,329 visitors — 19% more than 2025 — and 1,245 exhibitors across 12 sectors and 88,000 sq m at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, set the tone in his opening address: “There is a great difference between those who focus only on surviving crises, and those who seize them as opportunities and turn them into new beginnings. In the UAE, we do not simply endure hardships. We emerge from them stronger.”
AED180 billion in offtakes
TA’ZIZ announced AED104.6 billion in procurement and feedstock deals to support chemicals production. A new policy activated by MoIAT, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET), and the National CSR Fund will enable AED2 billion in annual food import substitution through local production, supporting up to 200 food factories and targeting a 15–30% increase in local production capacity.
Closing his address, Dr Al Jaber said: “From the UAE, opportunities begin. And from the UAE, industries launch to the world. Build with us. Invest with us. Make it in the Emirates."
On the closing day, it was revealed the sixth edition of Make it in the Emirates will take place from May 3 to 6, 2027.
AED48.5bn of investments signal confidence
TA'ZIZ and Alpha Dhabi Holding announced AED36.7 billion in capital investment in new industrial chemicals at Al Ruwais Industrial City. Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) signed AED2.1 billion in deals while Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) confirmed AED1.5 billion in support for new and expanded factories.
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) signed AED1.59 in agreements. Etihad Water and Electricity signed an agreement for an AED1 billion desalination plant.
Mubadala announced AED4.5 billion in investments, while ADNOC announced AED480 million across four new industrial facilities. Al Ain Farms Group launched Al Ain Taaza, targeting one-third of the UAE's AED500 million fresh juice segment. Pipetec secured AED75 million, while NanoCarbonX and Graphene Star signed an AED50 million manufacturing agreement.
AED19.2 billion in enablements and financing
MoIAT and Emirates Development Bank (EDB) launched the AED1 billion National Industrial Resilience Fund (NIRF) while MoIAT secured a further AED18 billion in competitive financing from Mashreq Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank and EDB. MoET signed an AED200 million agreement with Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) on intellectual property in the nuclear energy sector.
AED200 billion in industry projects
ADNOC unveiled AED200 billion in planned projects over the next three years. The National ICV Program welcomed new participants including Du, while Etihad Airways renewed its commitment. EGF entered an ICV agreement with MoIAT and ADNOC, aligning investment activity with national supply chain priorities. A dedicated ICV Day brought together 22 partners and more than 260 matchmaking meetings, said the organisers. - TradeArabia News Service
