The UAE has opened applications for a AED 1 billion ($272.3 million) fund aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing, reducing reliance on imports and protecting critical supply chains.
Emirates Development Bank (EDB), working with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), has activated an online application portal for the National Industrial Resilience Fund (NIRF), according to Arabian Business. Eligible manufacturers can apply for financing through EDB’s website as the country pushes to build a more self-sufficient industrial economy.
Key facts
- Fund size: AED 1 billion ($272.3 million), established by the UAE Cabinet in April 2026
- It is a five-year initiative run by EDB in collaboration with MoIAT
- Financing is capped at AED 100 million per corporate group
- Zero per cent interest is available until the end of the programme, subject to a 0.75 per cent annual service fee
- Priority sectors include pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and food production and processing
UAE National Industrial Resilience Fund targets local manufacturers
The NIRF will provide targeted financing to new factories and existing industrial businesses looking to establish, expand or integrate manufacturing operations in strategic sectors. Priority goes to projects that support localisation of critical industries, import substitution and the development of more resilient domestic supply chains.
Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of MoIAT, said the fund represented a significant step towards strengthening the UAE’s industrial capabilities and global competitiveness. “The Fund supports the localisation of critical industries, strengthens supply chain resilience and advances import substitution, while accelerating the adoption of AI solutions in production and operations,” he said. He added that the initiative would help turn market demand into domestic manufacturing opportunities while reducing dependence on external sources and building strategic reserves of essential industrial products.
The fund focuses on strategic sectors identified through an approved list of eligible products, including pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and food production and processing, alongside other critical industries approved by the Joint Governance Committee.
How manufacturers can access financing and funding terms
Financing under the fund will cover a range of investments, including the construction of new factories, production lines, machinery, factory expansions and integrated manufacturing projects. Businesses will also be able to access funding for strategic inventory, supplier payments and working capital to increase production.
Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi, CEO of EDB, said the initiative would connect financing with confirmed market demand, helping manufacturers develop commercially viable projects while strengthening national supply chains. “Through our partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, EDB will provide targeted financing to help eligible manufacturers establish new factories, expand existing operations and increase local production in priority sectors,” he said.
One of the fund’s most significant attractions is its concessional financing structure. Eligible industrial projects can access funding at zero per cent interest until the end of the programme, subject to an annual service fee of 0.75 per cent. Financing is capped at AED 100 million per corporate group. Read more business news from the UAE and GCC.
