The “Emirati Supplier” records contracts for small companies worth 1.78 billion dirhams in 2025

The Emirati Supplier Programme, managed by the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, one of the institutions of the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai, succeeded in securing contracts with a total value exceeding 1.78 billion dirhams for members of Emirati small and medium enterprises during the year 2025, recording a growth of 38% compared to the value of 1.29 billion dirhams recorded in 2024.

The results of the program reflect the Dubai government’s commitment to empowering Emirati companies and strengthening their important role as a major driver for driving economic growth. The program is an effective support tool for the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda “D33”, which aims to double the size of the city’s economy by 2033, and consolidate its position as the fastest growing economic center that is most attractive to small and medium-sized companies and Emirati entrepreneurs.

The purchases of government agencies and institutions in Dubai recorded an important achievement by exceeding the barrier of one billion dirhams for the first time in the program’s history, which confirms the growing impact of the program as one of the most important enabling mechanisms for small and medium-sized companies in the emirate. This achievement also reflects the maturity of the small and medium enterprises system in Dubai, and enhances the integration of Emirati companies into government supply chains.

National duty

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, praised the cooperation of the supporting bodies from various sectors, whether governmental, semi-governmental and private, and their contribution to achieving this achievement, as His Highness stressed that “supporting small and medium-sized Emirati companies and citizen entrepreneurs is a national duty due to its impact in enhancing the emirate’s ambitious economic development process,” praising the pivotal role of the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small Enterprise Development. The medium and medium sized sector will provide more opportunities for this vital sector, which represents an important tributary of Dubai’s economy.

His Highness said: “The small and medium-sized enterprises sector is a major driver of economic growth, and an important axis within Dubai’s vision to build a diversified and sustainable economy… developing it and expanding opportunities for the prosperity of its companies and projects is a priority within the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).”

His Highness added: “We are committed to creating a supportive environment that allows the transformation of innovative ideas into successful projects, and enables emerging projects to grow into competitive companies with a sustainable economic impact. We hope to see from these projects what succeeds in transforming into billionaire companies with a tangible global presence, starting from Dubai, which spares no effort in supporting every person with a creative thought and everyone who has the determination and determination to succeed.”

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, in a blog post on the “X” platform, yesterday: “Today I reviewed the results of the Emirati Supplier Programme, which is managed by the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, one of the institutions of the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai. During the year 2025, the program recorded contracts worth 1.78 billion dirhams for small and medium Emirati companies, with a growth of 38% compared to 2024.”

His Highness added: “This program embodies our ambition for Dubai to be the most empowering city for entrepreneurs in the world, and the people of the nation will remain at the core of our priorities. Supporting entrepreneurs and emerging Emirati companies is an investment in the future of Dubai, in the energies of its people, and in companies that will lead tomorrow’s economy and contribute effectively to achieving the goals of the D33 Dubai Economic Agenda.”

Billion support

The efforts of the work teams at the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development and all supporting bodies in various sectors have combined to allow Emirati-owned companies to benefit from broad opportunities across a variety of sectors.

Law (No. 16) of 2016 obligated government agencies and institutions in which the government owns a stake of no less than 25%, to allocate 10% of their purchases to Emirati companies registered with the corporation, providing a sustainable and reliable source of business for Emirati companies.

The performance of 2025 reflects the growing strength of the economic system, as UAE companies have demonstrated high competitiveness and excellence in a number of vital sectors. Government agencies led this growth by awarding contracts worth more than 1.03 billion dirhams, equivalent to 58% of total purchases, achieving an increase of 58% compared to 2024. Several government agencies contributed mainly to establishing this strategic growth, including Dubai Municipality, which recorded the highest value of contracts at the program level, along with the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Police, Dubai Expo City Authority, Dubai Academic Health Foundation, and the Department of Economy. and tourism in Dubai, which reflects the expansion of the program’s scope to include various major government specialties.

The semi-governmental sector also contributed about 420.5 million dirhams, equivalent to 24% of total purchases, supported by several major companies, including “Dubai Holding”, “Emirates Flight Catering”, and “Emirates Group”. This comes in conjunction with the growth of private sector participation, as the value of contracts concluded reached 254.9 million dirhams, equivalent to 14% of total purchases, in cooperation with the two leading retail companies “Union Coop” and “Carrefour”, in addition to “Emaar Properties”, in a clear indication of the growing confidence in the capabilities of Emirati companies. The participation of the supporting federal agencies also witnessed a remarkable growth to reach 74.6 million dirhams, equivalent to 4% of the total, through growing partnerships with the Emirates Health Services Corporation and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

More than 84 entities have so far committed to partnering with the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development within the framework of the Emirati Supplier Programme, which has helped provide qualitative opportunities for 1,070 registered Emirati establishments, and contributed to strengthening their integration into strategic supply chains in a number of vital sectors.

Effective policies

Commenting on this, Director-General of the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai, Hilal Saeed Al Marri, said: “In implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, this achievement reflects the growing confidence in the Emirati business community that Dubai has established, and confirms our continued commitment to achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), through developing effective policies that push towards transforming ambitious priorities and ideas into tangible, sustainable and achievable results. “For measurement.”

He added: “The Emirati Supplier Program represents an ideal mechanism to enhance economic diversification, raise the level of competitiveness, and build a flexible private sector that plays a fundamental role in Dubai’s long-term growth.”

For his part, Acting Executive Director of the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Ahmed Al-Roum Al Muhairi, said: “The performance of the Emirati Supplier Program for the year 2025 reflects the continued work to strengthen the small and medium enterprises system in Dubai, and the growing capabilities of Emirati companies in providing superior services in the most important vital sectors that are characterized by important economic and strategic value.”

He added, “About 80% of the contributing and supporting entities presented results and record numbers, and we thank their commitment to the national duty of supporting Emirati companies and entrepreneurship in Dubai.” There is no doubt that the results recorded last year confirm the ability of Emirati companies to achieve achievements and contribute constructively to the city’s economic transformation process, embodying the wise vision of our wise leadership.”

Al Muhairi stressed: “We are committed to achieving our priority of providing small and medium-sized companies with operational capabilities and governance standards, and facilitating their access to markets, allowing them to compete with confidence and participate sustainably in Dubai’s economic development in the coming years.”

Hamdan bin Mohammed:

. Supporting small and medium-sized Emirati companies and citizen entrepreneurs is a national duty because of its impact on supporting the emirate’s ambitious economic development process.

. We are committed to creating a supportive environment that allows innovative ideas to be transformed into successful projects and enables emerging projects to grow into competitive companies.

. Government agencies are in the lead by awarding contracts worth more than 1.03 billion dirhams, equivalent to 58% of total purchases.