About ICV
National In-Country Value (ICV) Program
Launched as part of “Projects of the 50”, the National In-Country Value (ICV) Program is a UAE government initiative aimed at generating economic benefits through redirecting government procurement expenditures and those of leading national companies to the UAE economy through the industrial and services sectors. It encompasses the total amount spent within the country on manufacturing, local products and services, and other national investments.
The National In-Country Value Program is one of the ministry's pillars to support this ambitious national vision, attract talent and investors, build more qualitative economic partnerships, and support efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in vital and priority products. It also empowers national talent and Emirati entrepreneurs through The Industrialist Career Exhibition, an initiative by the National ICV Program, to enhance the growth and competitiveness of the UAE's industrial sector both locally and internationally, especially in vital, priority, and future industries while enabling a supportive environment for the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises that will benefit from localizing procurement to strengthen their role and operations.
Since its implementation, the program has resulted in a qualitative increase in the expenditure of major national companies on local procurement and services, reaching AED53 billion in end-2022, an increase of 25% over 2021. By end- 2023, this number reached AED67 billion, with a growth rate of 26% in local spending on products and services among the entities implementing and joining the program. The value of investments by registered suppliers within the country exceeded AED200 billion in 2023.
MoIAT also recorded a considerable increase in the number of Emiratis working in private sector companies certified by the program. The number of Emiratis employed in companies holding the "National In-Country Value" certificate reached 16,000, an 80% increase over 2022. This aligns with the ministry's efforts to support the training and upskilling of Emirati cadres to enhance their readiness for integration into the labor market, and reflects the coordination and cooperation between the ministry and the companies participating in the program.
The program has vitally contributed to increasing confidence in the national industrial sector, making the UAE a preferred destination for local and foreign industrial investments. It has also enhanced investment attractiveness in the sector, created promising job opportunities for Emiratis in the private sector, and boosted the efficiency and competitiveness of Emirati industries in regional and international markets. In addition, it has developed advanced technology enabled industrial sectors to meet the targets of industrial growth, productivity, and sustainability in the country.
MoIAT and its strategic partners continue to identify local manufacturing opportunities at competitive prices in line with the requirements of national companies. Covering 11 vital sectors, these adhere to the highest production quality standards and sustainability requirements. The number of entities joining the program has seen a qualitative increase from 5 entities in 2020 to 28 major national entities and companies by the end of 2023.
STRATEGIC GOALS
The strategic impact of implementing the ICV Program will be as follows
The National In-Country Value Program
The program takes into consideration local expenditure on manufacturing, local products and services, investments, and the hiring and development of Emiratis. It aims to support the national industry and redirect expenditure on procuring goods and services into the national economy.