The Central Bank of the UAE has significantly exceeded its Emiratisation goals for the banking, financial, and insurance sectors, with 2025 figures showing the programme running well ahead of schedule on multiple fronts.
As of 31 December 2025, a total of 23,364 UAE nationals were employed across the three sectors, representing an Emiratisation rate of 31%. During the year, 2,901 nationals were hired against an annual target of 1,816, achieving roughly 160% of the set goal.
The results also surpassed the medium-term plan ahead of time. The number of UAE nationals employed between 2022 and 2025 reached 10,780, exceeding the cumulative 2022-2027 target of 10,300 two years early. Compliance among licensed financial institutions stood at 97%.
Several targeted initiatives contributed to the results. Under the Al Ain Initiative, five banks committed to hiring 1,700 UAE nationals across 2025 and 2026, with 1,016 already employed by year-end, a 60% achievement rate. A separate initiative focused on high job-seeker areas including Al Dhafra, Al Sila, Masfout, Al Rams and Qidfa employed 120 nationals toward a target of 500 by 2027.
Training and qualification programmes saw strong uptake as well. A total of 17,338 UAE nationals were trained in 2025, representing 46% of all trainees across the programmes. Graduates from the Ethraa initiative since 2022 reached approximately 5,500, with career fairs alone resulting in 2,396 direct hires last year.
The Emirates Institute of Finance supports the pipeline through 25 internationally recognised certifications spanning areas including anti-money laundering, investment, auditing, and insurance.
CBUAE Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama said Emiratisation in the financial sector remains a cornerstone of building a sustainable national economy, with the bank committed to deepening the ecosystem that connects training, qualification and employment.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
