Abu Dhabi expands PPP project pipeline

Abu Dhabi has unveiled a AED55 billion public-private partnership pipeline, setting out 24 projects across transport, core infrastructure and social facilities that are expected to enter the market through 2026 and 2027.

The programme, launched by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre, marks one of the emirate’s largest structured openings to private capital in public infrastructure. It is designed to bring developers, financiers, contractors and long-term operators into projects that support mobility, flood resilience, public services and community assets.

Transport accounts for the largest share of the package, with 11 major road projects valued at about AED35 billion. The planned works cover more than 300 kilometres of new and upgraded roads, alongside improvements to tunnels, intersections and wider network capacity. The focus reflects Abu Dhabi’s need to match population growth, business expansion and rising logistics activity with a road network capable of supporting faster movement across residential, industrial and commercial districts.

A further AED11 billion has been assigned to five infrastructure projects, including dams, water storage systems, flood control, stormwater drainage upgrades and urban landscaping works. These projects carry strategic weight after heavier rainfall episodes across the Gulf placed greater emphasis on drainage capacity, urban resilience and the ability of cities to manage extreme weather risks without disrupting business activity or public services.

Eight social infrastructure projects, worth about AED9 billion, will cover sports facilities, specialist healthcare assets, schools and university campuses. These assets are intended to strengthen liveability while widening opportunities for private participation in government-backed facilities that can offer stable, long-term investment profiles.

The new pipeline expands Abu Dhabi’s use of public-private partnerships beyond isolated project procurement into a more predictable capital planning model. For investors, visibility over a two-year pipeline is likely to be significant, as infrastructure funds and strategic operators often require clarity on project timing, procurement structure, risk allocation and revenue mechanisms before committing resources to bid teams and financing arrangements.

ADIO’s role is central to that process. The investment office is responsible for originating, structuring and procuring PPP projects under Abu Dhabi’s approved legal framework, working with ADPIC, government entities, sovereign funds and strategic partners. The latest package follows about AED2.4 billion of PPP projects already delivered and a further AED25 billion in projects launched in 2025 that are now in advanced stages of structuring and procurement.

Abu Dhabi has already built a record in education, lighting and student accommodation projects through the PPP route. Zayed City Schools, Abu Dhabi LED Phase 2 and Khalifa University Student Accommodation have gained industry recognition, helping the emirate position its procurement framework as credible to international bidders. That track record matters because PPP projects depend not only on capital availability but also on confidence in contract enforcement, public-sector counterparties and long-term payment discipline.

The timing also fits Abu Dhabi’s broader economic strategy. The emirate is seeking to deepen private-sector participation, attract international companies, expand local supply chains and support the Abu Dhabi Local Content programme. By drawing contractors, engineers, financiers and operators into large public assets, the pipeline is expected to support industrial capacity, create demand for local suppliers and encourage international firms to establish or expand operations in the emirate.

The AED55 billion programme also underscores competition across Gulf economies to mobilise private capital for infrastructure. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE have all expanded PPP frameworks as governments seek to deliver large capital projects while preserving fiscal flexibility and bringing in specialist expertise from global operators. Abu Dhabi’s advantage lies in strong sovereign credit fundamentals, a deep pool of government-related entities and a policy focus on long-term infrastructure readiness.

The model, however, places pressure on project preparation. Investors will look closely at contract terms, construction risk, payment structures, land access, inflation protection and dispute resolution. Road, drainage and social infrastructure assets can be attractive to long-duration capital, but only where procurement is transparent and revenue assumptions are clear. The success of the pipeline will therefore depend on how quickly projects move from announcement to tender, and whether bid conditions remain competitive enough to draw a broad field of local and international participants.