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The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported that cumulative investment in the industrial sector reached QAR 248.44 billion in the second quarter of 2026. The figures were announced during the second quarterly meeting to review the ministry’s performance for 2026, chaired by Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani. The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, according to a Qatar News Agency report. This total builds on investments that stood at QAR 235 billion for registered companies in 2024, according to the ministry’s industrial portal data from that period.
The ministry’s statement detailed growth in business formation activity, with 6,745 new commercial registrations recorded, an increase of 6.6 percent compared with the first quarter. A total of 131,269 transactions were completed through the Single Window platform during the quarter, up 4 percent from the prior period, of which 86 percent were conducted electronically. Customer satisfaction with electronic services reached 93 percent while satisfaction with services at government centers stood at 96 percent, and 15 services were developed, a 25 percent increase that helped simplify procedures.
In efforts to attract foreign investment, 5,272 non-Qatari companies were established in the second quarter, an increase of 60 percent from the first quarter, the ministry said. The National Planning Council figures show inward foreign direct investment stock reached QAR 172.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 3.3 percent from the previous quarter. During the period, 1,454 trademarks were registered, 130 patents granted and 81 copyrights registered for overall growth of 88.4 percent in these categories, while 11 new factories began production, bringing the total since the start of the year to 28 with combined investments of QAR 253 million.
Export indicators improved as the share of exporting factories rose from 23 percent in the first quarter to 25 percent, and private-sector exports increased 12.5 percent to QAR 0.9 billion, according to the ministry’s statement. The number of national products rose by 8 percent in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, and customs duties totaling QAR 11 million were collected through measures to combat harmful trade practices. These developments align with the National Manufacturing Strategy 2024-2030, which targets raising annual industrial investments to QAR 2.8 billion by 2030, a Government Communications Office announcement stated.
The ministry reduced processing time for initial industrial approvals to one working day to accelerate projects and improve the investor experience. In consumer affairs, 83,339 inspection visits were carried out, an 11.5 percent increase from the first quarter, while the average time to resolve complaints fell to 3.5 days. A total of 3,498 specialized licenses were issued, up 84.4 percent, with cumulative food subsidy beneficiaries reaching 451,492 and animal feed subsidy beneficiaries at 6,392 by quarter’s end.
The volume of strategic stocks increased by 42 percent compared with the beginning of March 2026 to support supply stability, the ministry reported. Training and development programs for employees rose 40 percent with 12 programs conducted during 2026, including specialized courses on combating illicit financing, anti-money laundering and patent examination. Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani said the results achieved during the second quarter reflected the efforts of teams across the Ministry’s various sectors, and he stressed the importance of building on the progress achieved while continuing to work in line with the ministry’s vision to contribute to the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030.
