Qatar's National Manufacturing Strategy: 2030 Targets, Progress So Far and Where SMEs Fit

Qatar wants factories to carry a much bigger share of its non-hydrocarbon economy by 2030, and it has put numbers on that goal. The National Manufacturing Strategy 2024–2030, unveiled by the Prime Minister in January 2025, is one of the main tools for delivering the diversification agenda of the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). Twenty-one months in, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) is publishing quarterly progress figures, and government procurement rules are being rewritten in favour of locally made goods. For SME owners, industrial founders and the investors who back them, this is the time to work out where they fit.

The strategy in brief: targets for 2030

The strategy was launched on 10 January 2025 alongside MOCI's wider 2024–2030 strategy, under the theme "Achieving Sustainable Economic Growth". According to the Government Communications Office, its 2030 targets are:

• Manufacturing value added of QAR 70.5 billion
• Non-hydrocarbon exports of more than QAR 49 billion
• Annual industrial investment of QAR 2.75 billion
• 50% manufacturing diversification
• Private-sector contribution of QAR 36 billion
• A place among the world's top 40 in the global industrial competitiveness index

Delivery runs through 15 initiatives and 60 projects. The GCO lists four transformation areas: shifting to smart and green manufacturing, increasing R&D investment to lift productivity, aligning education outcomes with industry's needs, and expanding opportunities for Qataris in manufacturing. KPMG's September 2025 analysis groups the initiatives under nine programmes, including industrial clusters, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, investment and financing, environmental sustainability and localisation. MOCI leads implementation in three phases: quick wins, major projects and complementary projects.

Which sectors are in focus

Official reporting carried by Gulf Times names four priority sectors: plastics, aluminium, pharmaceuticals, and industries that support oil and gas. KPMG's reading of the strategy gives a broader list of pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, chemicals and petrochemicals, metals and fabricated metals, construction materials and plastics. The two lists agree on the main point. Qatar is building downstream of its existing strengths in hydrocarbons, petrochemicals and aluminium, and it is adding sectors linked to resilience, such as medicines and food.

That matters for SMEs because large anchor plants rarely work alone. Each one needs packaging, maintenance, fabrication, testing, logistics, spare parts, automation and digital services. Many of these supply niches suit smaller firms better than greenfield heavy industry does.

Progress so far: what the quarterly figures show

MOCI now reports industrial indicators every quarter. Figures from its second-quarter 2026 performance review, carried by QNA and reported by Arab News on 1 September 2026, show:

• 11 new factories started production in Q2 2026, with combined investment of QAR 253 million, bringing the total since January to 28
• The share of factories that export rose to 25%, from 23% in Q1
• Private-sector exports rose 12.5%, from QAR 800 million to QAR 900 million
• Initial approval for industrial projects now takes one working day
• Cumulative industrial investment stood at QAR 248.44 billion

Read the cumulative investment series with care. For Q1 2026, ministry data reported by Gulf Times put it at QR270 billion, and that release also counted 17 new factories in the quarter. Quarter-to-quarter comparisons may therefore reflect changes in how investment is counted as well as real movement. The more useful signals for an SME are the steady pipeline of new plants, the rising share of exporters and the faster approvals.

Where SMEs fit: four practical entry points

1. Selling to government through the national-product list. This is the most concrete lever. At the 2026 Government Procurement Plan forum, reported by Qatar Tribune, the Ministry of Finance announced a mandatory list of more than 1,000 Qatari-made products that receive priority in public purchasing. It also said national factory classification certificates would carry an identification code giving a 10% advantage in tenders under Law No. 6 of 1987, and that local value would become a mandatory requirement for taking part in government tenders from July 2026. In February 2026 the Ministry of Finance's procurement department explained at Qatar Chamber that government agencies must buy listed national products unless an approved exception applies: the product is not available locally, local factories cannot deliver on time, or the local price exceeds the foreign price by more than the allowed margin.

2. Supplying the new plants. With 28 factories starting production in the first half of 2026, there is steady demand for industrial services. Firms that can show quality certifications, reliable lead times and local value credentials are best placed. Falak's earlier guide to Tawteen and ICV scores covers how that scoring works in the energy supply chain.

3. Exporting from a Qatar base. A quarter of factories now export, and the strategy targets more than QAR 49 billion of non-hydrocarbon exports. Export finance, credit insurance and certification support are covered in our guide to how QDB helps SMEs export.

4. Building Industry 4.0 and green-manufacturing services. Smart and green manufacturing is one of the four transformation areas. That creates room for startups offering automation, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency, quality-inspection software and industrial data platforms. Qatar Development Bank has backed lean and digital manufacturing training before through Factory One, a model factory it set up with McKinsey in 2021. Check its current offer directly with QDB.

The link to Qatar National Vision 2030 and NDS3

Qatar National Vision 2030 commits the country to a diversified, knowledge-based economy less dependent on hydrocarbons. MOCI's 2024–2030 strategy, launched alongside the manufacturing plan, is explicitly aligned with NDS3 and QNV2030. It targets 3.4% compound annual growth in non-oil sectors and USD 100 billion of foreign direct investment by 2030, according to the GCO. Manufacturing is where several NDS3 goals meet: private-sector growth, exports, productivity, skilled jobs for Qataris and self-sufficiency in essential goods. An SME that becomes a credible local manufacturer or industrial supplier is working with the national strategy, not just inside it.

What to do next

The steps below are general guidance, not official requirements. Confirm current rules with MOCI, the Ministry of Finance and QDB before acting.

• Map your product against the priority sectors. If you make, or could make, something used in plastics, aluminium, pharmaceuticals, food or oil-and-gas supply chains, write down who the anchor buyers are.
• Get your credentials in order. Ask MOCI about national product registration and factory classification, and find out how local value is certified for government tenders. These determine whether you benefit from the 10% tender preference and the mandatory list.
• Read the procurement plan. The Ministry of Finance publishes an annual government procurement plan. Check which tenders in your category are coming up and plan capacity for them.
• Use the faster approvals. With initial industrial project approval now down to one working day, licensing is less of a bottleneck. Spend that time on site selection, financing and offtake.
• Build export readiness early. Certifications, packaging standards and export finance take time to set up. Start before you need them.
• Track the quarterly numbers. MOCI's quarterly reviews show which way the sector is moving. Use them in investor and lender conversations, and quote them carefully.

Sources

• PM Unveils Ministry of Commerce and Industry Strategies – Government Communications Office, Qatar – gco.gov.qa
• Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry: QR248.44 billion industrial investment in Q2 2026 – Arab News (QNA/MOCI data) – arabnews.com
• Qatar's industrial sector moves on a positive trajectory – Gulf Times – gulf-times.com
• Qatar's National Manufacturing Strategy and its impact on infrastructure and real estate – KPMG Qatar – kpmg.com
• Qatar launches 4,464 tenders under govt procurement plan – Qatar Tribune – qatar-tribune.com
• QC urges stronger reliance on Qatari products in government purchasing – Qatar Tribune – qatar-tribune.com
• QDB launches Factory One to empower SMEs – Gulf Times – gulf-times.com

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