Trade FinanceData
UAE opens Dh1bn interest-free financing for manufacturing expansion
Emirates Development Bank activates application portal for National Industrial Resilience Fund with five-year terms and up to Dh100 million per group.
The United Arab Emirates has opened applications for a Dh1 billion financing facility offering zero-interest loans to industrial companies establishing new factories or expanding production capacity. Emirates Development Bank, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, activated the online application portal for the National Industrial Resilience Fund on 5 November 2026.
Five-year terms with 0.75 percent service fee#
The fund offers financing at zero percent interest over a five-year term, subject to an annual service fee of 0.75 percent. Companies meeting eligibility requirements can access up to Dh100 million per group, with the facility covering a maximum of 80 percent of qualifying capital expenditure. Both new and existing factories may apply, subject to the fund's eligibility requirements and Emirates Development Bank's credit assessment criteria. Applications are submitted through the bank's website.
Priority sectors and eligible expenditure#
The fund targets strategic industrial sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, food production and food processing, alongside other industries approved by the fund's Joint Governance Committee. Qualifying expenditure includes machinery purchases, new factory construction, production line installation, facility expansion projects and integrated manufacturing operation development. Storage infrastructure expansion in targeted industrial sectors also qualifies for financing under the fund.
Working capital and inventory financing#
Financing facilities extend beyond capital expenditure to include working capital for increased production, supplier payment requirements and strategic inventory development. The fund prioritises investments in import substitution and projects that strengthen domestic supply chains. Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, stated the fund would connect priority industrial opportunities with the financing needed to implement them.
Technology adoption and credit assessment#
Manufacturers adopting industrial artificial intelligence and automation in their operations will receive encouragement through the fund. Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Development Bank, stated the initiative links financing to confirmed market demand to support commercially viable projects. Eligibility is determined by the fund's requirements and the bank's credit assessment criteria.
Sources1 source across 1 domain
- khaleejtimes.comKhaleej TimesDh1 billion fund launch, zero-interest terms, 0.75 percent service fee, Dh100 million maximum per group, 80 percent capital expenditure coverage, five-year term, eligible sectors, application portal activation date, official statements from Hasan Jasem Al Nowais and Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi
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