The UAE has opened applications for a Dh1 billion fund offering interest-free financing to industrial companies looking to establish new factories, expand production and manufacture critical products locally.
Emirates Development Bank (EDB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), has activated the online application portal for the National Industrial Resilience Fund (NIRF) to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities, reduce reliance on imports and enhance the resilience of national supply chains.
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The five-year fund offers financing at zero per cent interest, subject to an annual service fee of 0.75 per cent. Eligible companies can receive up to Dh100 million per group, with financing covering up to 80 per cent of eligible capital expenditure.
Both new and existing factories can apply, subject to the fund’s eligibility requirements and EDB’s credit assessment criteria.
The fund will prioritise investments in strategic and critical industries, import substitution and projects that strengthen domestic supply chains. Eligible businesses can submit applications through EDB’s website.
Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of MoIAT, said the launch of the fund would help empower the UAE’s industrial sector and strengthen its global competitiveness in line with the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and the Make it in the Emirates initiative.
“The Fund serves as a mechanism to connect priority industrial opportunities with the financing needed to implement them,” he said, inviting investors, new factories and existing manufacturers planning expansion projects in critical sectors to apply.
He added that the initiative would support the localisation of critical industries, accelerate import substitution and encourage the adoption of artificial intelligence in manufacturing and industrial operations.
The fund also aims to develop strategic reserves of critical industrial products, increase national value creation and reduce dependence on external sources.
Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi, CEO of Emirates Development Bank, said the initiative would help strengthen the UAE’s industrial capabilities and reduce reliance on imports of essential goods.
“By linking financing to confirmed market demand, we can support commercially viable projects that strengthen national supply chains and create new opportunities for UAE manufacturers,” he said.
Which sectors will benefit?
The fund targets strategic industrial sectors based on an approved list of eligible products. These include pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, food production and food processing, alongside other strategic industries approved by the fund’s Joint Governance Committee.
It will also encourage manufacturers to adopt advanced technologies, including industrial artificial intelligence and automation.
Financing will cover capital expenditure for establishing new factories, setting up production lines, purchasing machinery, expanding existing facilities and developing integrated manufacturing operations.
The fund will also support the expansion of integrated storage infrastructure in targeted industrial sectors.
In addition to capital expenditure, financing facilities will be available to help manufacturers build strategic inventories, meet supplier payments and secure working capital to increase production.
How much financing can companies get?
The fund offers zero-interest financing until the end of the programme period, subject to an annual service fee of 0.75 per cent.
Financing is capped at Dh100 million per group, while capital expenditure financing can cover up to 80 per cent of eligible project costs.
Both new investors establishing factories and existing manufacturers expanding their operations can benefit, subject to the fund’s terms and conditions and EDB’s credit assessment.
The UAE Cabinet announced the establishment of the Dh1 billion National Industrial Resilience Fund in April 2026, ahead of the fifth edition of Make it in the Emirates.
The initiative is designed to strengthen the country’s industrial self-reliance, promote locally manufactured products, secure critical supply chains and accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies across the manufacturing sector.
Source: Khaleej Times