Emirates Development Bank (EDB) has activated an online portal for financing applications under the AED 1 billion National Industrial Resilience Fund (NIRF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), according to a statement issued on 29 October 2026.
The portal launch coincided with a meeting of the Fund’s Joint Governance Committee chaired by MoIAT, with the Ministry of Finance and EDB as members. The committee discussed the Fund’s financing and operating mechanisms, the statement said, with the aim of ensuring efficient implementation and facilitating access for eligible industrial companies.
Fund aims at supply-chain resilience and advanced manufacturing
MoIAT described the Fund as a national initiative intended to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity, enhance the resilience of national supply chains, and accelerate adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies.
H.E. Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of MoIAT, said the start of the Fund’s operations is “a key step” toward empowering the national industrial sector and strengthening its global competitiveness. He linked the initiative to the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and the “Make it in the Emirates” initiative, adding that it supports localization of critical industries, strengthens supply chain resilience and advances import substitution. Al Nowais also said the Fund is intended to accelerate adoption of AI solutions in production and operations.
EDB said the Fund will provide targeted financing to support eligible manufacturers, including establishing new factories and expanding existing operations in priority sectors. H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi, EDB Chief Executive Officer, said the bank aims to back “commercially viable projects” by linking financing to confirmed market demand, and encouraged eligible businesses to apply through EDB’s website.
Who can apply and what projects are prioritised
The announcement said MoIAT and EDB invited new factories and existing industrial companies in eligible sectors and products to apply for concessional financing, particularly those seeking to expand or develop integrated manufacturing projects.
The statement said priority will be given to investments supporting localization of strategic and critical industries, import substitution, and the resilience of national industrial supply chains.
Eligibility criteria and applications are described as available via EDB’s website.
Funding structure and stated benefits
The NIRF was announced by the UAE Cabinet in April 2026, ahead of the fifth edition of “Make it in the Emirates.” The statement said the five-year Fund will provide financing to industrial companies, with the intention of supporting localization of critical industries, promoting national products, enhancing domestic supply chain resilience, and accelerating adoption of AI and advanced technologies in the industrial sector. It said the Fund is capitalized at AED 1 billion (approximately USD 272.3 million).
According to the statement, the Fund targets strategic industrial sectors based on an approved list of eligible products. Priority sectors mentioned include pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, and food and food processing industries to support food supply chain stability, along with other strategic industries approved by the Joint Governance Committee.
The Fund is said to provide loans to finance capital expenditure for new factories, production lines, machinery, expansion and integration, and expansion of integrated storage infrastructure in targeted industrial sectors. It also said financing facilities may be available to build strategic inventories, finance supplier payments, and provide working capital to increase production.
Terms highlighted by MoIAT and EDB
- Financing for critical industrial projects at 0% interest until the end of the program period, subject to an annual service fee of 0.75%.
- A financing cap of AED 100 million per group.
- Capital expenditure financing covering up to 80% of eligible project costs.
- Both new and existing factories may qualify, subject to the Fund’s terms and conditions and EDB’s credit assessment criteria.
The announcement said eligible projects are encouraged to adopt advanced manufacturing technologies, including industrial AI and automation.
