The UAE is seeking to offer industrial companies competitive financing solutions exceeding AED40 billion ($10.89 billion) over five years from national banks, said His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, in his opening address at Make it in the Emirates 2025.
These banks include Emirates Development Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq Bank, Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Wio Bank
“The event will also witness the launch of the Emirates Growth Fund under Emirates Development Bank as an AED1 billion investment platform. The fund aims to empower SME projects in strategic sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, food security, and advanced technology by providing long-term capital and the strategic support necessary for sustainable growth and effective expansion,” the minister added.
UAE to raise value of offtake opportunities to over AED 168 billion
In his remarks, Al Jaber added that Make it in the Emirates 2025 has been enhanced to support further national industrial growth. This year’s edition features several strategic initiatives, most notably, increasing the value of offtake opportunities from AED143 billion to over AED 168 billion over the next ten years, an increase of AED25 billion compared to last year, to localize over 4,800 products within the country.
“Industry plays a vital role in creating added economic value, improving productivity, generating employment opportunities, building advanced and resilient infrastructure, developing an export-oriented production base, and boosting the GDP,” he stated.
Al Jaber explained that countries with a strong industrial foundation enjoy sustainable economic growth, ensure a prosperous and bright future, and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of societies. “Investing in manufacturing is investing in an advanced economy. Every investment in this sector creates a multiplier effect by stimulating the growth of related sectors,” he added.
Al Jaber spotlights new industrial era driven by AI
During Make it in the Emirates 2025, Al Jaber also highlighted the shift toward advanced industries that rely heavily on cutting-edge technologies in production processes such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced materials.
“The world is now witnessing the dawn of a new industrial era — one led by ideas, accelerated by technology, and shaped by agility and adaptability to evolving changes,” he said.
Al Jaber highlighted launch of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP, support national products, enhance supply chains, and accelerate the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, and artificial intelligence.
“In the UAE, we don’t see AI as merely a tool or a new technology — we recognize it as a fully-fledged economic sector. Globally, AI revenues are expected to exceed $1.5 trillion by 2040. As witnessed during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE last week, the first phase of the UAE-US AI data center was launched in Abu Dhabi, and it is set to become the largest AI campus outside the United States,” he added.
To support the adoption of advanced technology and AI, the MoIAT launched the Technology Transformation Program and the Industrial Technology Transformation Index, which have supported over 500 factories with financing facilities worth AED4.6 billion.
“We also focus on enabling future industries — including renewable energy technologies, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), space, semiconductors, smart chips, AI data center components, energy storage batteries, autonomous equipment and advanced construction materials,” he added.
UAE’s industrial exports hit AED197 billion
At Make it in the Emirates 2025, Al Jaber added that the UAE’s industrial sector has witnessed significant growth. In 2024, industrial exports reached AED197 billion — a 68 percent increase compared to 2021.
“We commend our colleagues across all ministries, particularly the Ministry of Economy, for expanding strategic trade through Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs), raising total foreign trade to over AED5 trillion,” he added.
The UAE also launched the Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development with Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Qatar and Türkiye. This collaboration has advanced regional supply chain integration through joint projects worth $5 billion in sectors of mutual importance.
Al Jaber also revealed that through the National In-Country Value (ICV) Program, which supports the industrial sector by redirecting procurement to local products and services, local spending has reached a cumulative AED347 billion, and over 22,000 job opportunities have been created for Emiratis.
Transformative industries sector to contribute AED193 billion to national economy
For his part, His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, said the transformative industries sector contributed 11.3 percent to the UAE’s real GDP during the first nine months of 2024, reaching AED149.4 billion, marking an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Its contribution to the country’s non-oil GDP also exceeded 15 percent during this period.
“The sector is expected to contribute AED193 billion to the national economy in 2024. By the end of 2022, it had attracted approximately AED40 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), accounting for seven percent of the UAE’s total FDI,” he added.
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Event features new Emirati traditional crafts pavilion
Over 700 companies are presenting thousands of innovative products and services at the Make it in the Emirates 2025 accompanying exhibition, across dedicated zones covering various sectors such as advanced agrifood and health, ship and maritime manufacturing, Emirati traditional crafts, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence, energy and infrastructure, aerospace, automobile and defense.
In line with the Year of Community, this year’s edition, for the first time, features a dedicated pavilion showcasing Emirati traditional crafts and industries. Organized by the Ministry of Culture, the pavilion offers live demonstrations of 40 traditional crafts across 10 main zones, attracting the participation of 216 Emirati artisans.
The fourth edition of Make it in the Emirates is drawing broad local and international participation, bringing together top decision-makers from both the public and private sectors, as well as entrepreneurs, investors, industrialists, experts, innovators and financial institutions. More than 700 companies are showcasing their innovative products at Make it in the Emirates 2025. The event spans 68,000 square meters of exhibition space and is anticipated to attract over 30,000 visitors.
His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, attended the opening of Make it in the Emirates 2025, taking place until May 22 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under the theme “Advanced Industries. Accelerated.”
The event is hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), organized by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company Group, and held alongside strategic partners including the Ministry of Culture, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and ADNOC Group.
