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Emirati women thrive as Emiratisation in private sector soars 300% in 3 years

Graphic for blog post: Aurora50 logo and photo of Dubai skyline from above focusing on Sheikh Zayed Road, with overlaid text: Emirati women thrive as Emiratisation in private sector soars 300% in 3 years
Suzanne Locke 27 February 2025
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A new survey shows that Emirati women working in the private sector feel they have equal opportunities for growth and leadership. This comes as the number of Emiratis in the private sector has jumped by 300% since 2021, thanks to the UAE’s Nafis programme.

In 2021, fewer than 30,000 Emiratis worked in the private sector. By the end of 2024, that number has risen to 131,000, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).

The Nafis programme, launched in 2021, aimed to have 75,000 Emiratis (10% of the workforce) in the private sector by 2026. But the programme has already surpassed its goal, nearly doubling it two years early.

Nafis targets and expansion

  • Companies with 50+ employees must have 6% Emirati staff by the end of 2024.
  • Smaller firms with 20-49 employees must hire at least one Emirati team member.
  • Nafis has expanded beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi, launching in Al Ain in late 2024. The goal is to create 2,000 jobs, mostly in banking, and 2,000 training opportunities in Al Ain.

What the survey found

The 2024 PWC survey, conducted with MoHRE, revealed key insights:

  • 62% of Emirati women in the private sector believe they have equal opportunities for career growth, with Emirati women actively pursuing leadership and advancement.
  • 67% of Emirati job seeking respondents – and 66% of Emirati women respondents – believe it easier to find a job in the private sector than in the public sector.
  • 54% of public sector workers are open to moving to the private sector, especially women and mid-level professionals.
  • 69% of Emirati respondents working in the public sector who are considering a move to the private sector have prior private-sector experience.
  • 75% of Emiratis prefer jobs with flexible working hours, up from 45% in 2023.
  • Among job seekers, financial compensation (69%) is the top factor when looking at a new job.
  • This is followed by opportunities for career growth, security and progression (61%), and the actual content of the work (47%) – from variety and challenge to autonomy.
  • Affiliation – work culture, trust and engagement – is also important for both job seekers (35%) and private sector respondents (32%).
  • A supportive work environment (22%), employee benefits (20%) and growth opportunities (15%) are the most significant factors for staying in a private-sector job.
Aurora50 logo with chart showing the the number of Emiratis in the private sector from 2018 to 2024 against 2026 target: 2018 27,055 2019 26,921 2020 28,212 2021 29,810 * NAFIS programme introduced 2022 50,228 2023 92,000 2024 131,000 2026 T 75,000 T = target Source: MoHRE (UAE Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation)

Importantly, diversity in the private sector contributes to a “supportive environment” where Emiratis feel “empowered, integrated and able to thrive”, PWC reported.

Networking, women on boards and in leadership key to Emiratisation

Some of PWC and MoHRE’s key recommendations are:

  1. Diversity on boards: Include Emirati members on private sector boards to give local perspectives and more diverse decision-making.
  2. Networking for women: Create platforms for Emirati women to connect and share experiences.
  3. Women in leadership: Promote more women into leadership roles and offer family-friendly policies such as parental leave.
  4. Reskilling senior professionals: Provide training in leadership, digital skills and business knowledge for senior Emiratis.
  5. Flexible work for youth and women: Offer flexible work options to attract younger Emiratis balancing work and study and to employees with different career objectives and desired pace of growth.
  6. Youth programmes: Launch internships, mentorships and graduate programmes to nurture youth talent.

Emiratisation ‘cornerstone’ of We the UAE 2031

HE Shayma Yousef Alawadhi, Acting Undersecretary of Labour Market Development & Regulation, and Assistant Undersecretary for Communications & International Relations at the MoHRE, says integrating Emirati talent into the private sector is the “cornerstone” of the UAE’s ‘We the UAE 2031’ national plan.

“The UAE labour market has undergone remarkable structural changes in recent years, making it one of the most attractive markets globally and drawing attention from professionals and businesses worldwide,” she adds.

The NAFIS Programme and initiatives have been “instrumental” in driving this progress, she says.

The PWC/ MoHRE 2024 survey included 2,213 respondents from the public sector, private sector and job seekers.

Find out more about Aurora50’s services – Pathway, for women on boards, NOORA, our corporate women’s network, and AIM, our accelerator for women leaders.

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