The UAE has told its private sector that investing domestically is “no longer an option” but a national priority, as the largest edition of Make it in the Emirates opened with a push for industrial growth, economic sovereignty and supply chain resilience.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, said investing in the country means investing in “stability, economic sovereignty, and the future of generations to come”.

The message came as the UAE launched its most ambitious industrial platform to date, supported by a Dh200 billion project pipeline, expanded procurement opportunities and new plans to localise thousands of products across strategic sectors.

Al Jaber said procurement opportunities under the National In-Country Value Programme will rise from Dh168 billion to Dh180 billion over the next decade, alongside localisation of more than 5,000 products.

He added that industrial exports have reached Dh262 billion, including Dh92 billion in advanced industrial exports, while the sector’s contribution to the national economy has reached Dh200 billion, reflecting 70 per cent growth.

He said manufacturing now sits at the centre of national strength. “Those who manufacture their own decisions. Those who build, own their future,” he said.

The minister also issued a warning on regional energy security, saying the Strait of Hormuz “must never be held hostage or used as a tool of economic coercion and extortion”.

He said freedom of international navigation is “non-negotiable” and any attempt to change the strait’s legal status would be a “dangerous and unacceptable precedent”.

Al Jaber also said the UAE’s exit from Opec and Opec+ from May 1 is “not directed against anyone”, describing it as part of a wider strategy linking energy, technology and industry to accelerate investment flexibility.

He said artificial intelligence will become central to industrial development. “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.

The Dh200 billion pipeline, announced at the ‘Make it With Adnoc’ forum, connects EPC contractors with 70 Emirati manufacturers under the ‘Local+’ initiative.

Adnoc will also host ‘Adnoc Value Connect’ on May 5–6, bringing together more than 1,000 companies to link local manufacturers with suppliers.

Now in its fifth 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.

International Holding Company, valued at Dh876 billion, is participating as an investment partner alongside entities including Mubadala, Emirates Development Bank, Kezad Group and PureHealth.

“From the UAE, opportunities begin. And from the UAE, industries launch to the world,” Al Jaber said.