Investing in UAE is 'no longer optional', Adnoc CEO tells private sector
[Editor's Note: Follow the Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.]
The UAE’s private sector was told on Monday that investing at home is “no longer an option” but a national priority, as the largest edition of Make it in the Emirates opened with a call to strengthen economic sovereignty, local manufacturing and industrial resilience.
Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, said investing in the UAE is an “investment in our stability, our economic sovereignty, and the future of generations to come”.
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The message came as the UAE launched its largest industrial platform to date, backed by a Dh200-billion project pipeline, expanded procurement opportunities and new commitments to localise thousands of products across strategic sectors.
Industrial growth
Al Jaber announced that procurement opportunities under the National In-Country Value Programme will grow from Dh168 billion to Dh180 billion over the next decade, alongside the localisation of more than 5,000 products. Industrial exports have reached Dh262 billion, including Dh92 billion in advanced industrial exports, while the industrial sector’s national contribution has hit Dh200 billion, marking 70 per cent growth.
The minister said manufacturing had become central to national strength.
“Those who manufacture, own their decisions. Those who build, own their future. And those who combine both secure their sovereignty and resilience,” he said.
Hormuz warning
He also issued a strong warning on the Strait of Hormuz.
“The Strait of Hormuz must never be held hostage or used as a tool of economic coercion and extortion,” Al Jaber said, in his clearest statement yet since regional tensions escalated.
He added that freedom of international navigation “is non-negotiable and cannot be compromised,” warning that any change to the strait’s legal status “would constitute a dangerous and unacceptable precedent and a direct threat to global economic security.”
Al Jaber also addressed the UAE’s historic exit from Opec and Opec+, effective May 1, saying the decision “is not directed against anyone”. He described it as part of a broader vision connecting energy, technology and industry, giving the UAE greater flexibility to accelerate investment and create long-term value.
He said artificial intelligence would play a bigger role in the country’s industrial base. “AI will no longer be just a tool in our factories. It will become an industrial brain and a partner in decision-making,” he said.
Dh200-billion pipeline
The Dh200-billion pipeline, unveiled at the ‘Make it With Adnoc’ forum on Sunday, connects top EPC contractors with 70 qualified Emirati manufacturers under the new ‘Local+’ initiative. Adnoc also plans to host ‘Adnoc Value Connect’ on May 5 and 6, bringing together more than 1,000 companies to link local manufacturers directly with key suppliers.
Now in its fifth and largest edition, Make it in the Emirates 2026 runs until May 7 at Adnec Centre Abu Dhabi, featuring 1,245 exhibitors across 88,000 square metres, a 30 per cent increase from last year.
International Holding Company, the UAE’s most valuable listed company with a market capitalisation of Dh876 billion, joins as an investment partner with 32 subsidiaries spanning AI, energy transition, infrastructure and financial services. Enablement partners include Mubadala, Emirates Development Bank, Kezad Group and PureHealth.
“From the UAE, opportunities begin. And from the UAE, industries launch to the world,” Al Jaber concluded.
