Inward foreign direct investment stock reached approximately QAR 172.2 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2026, up 3.3% from the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the latest Foreign Direct Investment Survey.
The National Planning Council released the survey results in cooperation with Qatar Central Bank, showing continued growth in both inward and outward FDI stocks between January and March.
Outward FDI stock increased by 3.5% over the same period to approximately QAR 221.7 billion.
HE Dr Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Secretary-General of the National Planning Council, said the increase in inward FDI stock was a positive indicator for the country’s investment trajectory.
He said the council’s focus extends beyond the volume of investment to its quality and contribution to economic diversification, productivity, knowledge and technology transfer, and the growth of value-added sectors.
He added that the next phase would focus on strengthening the economy’s attractiveness to high-quality investment and accelerating investment growth in non-hydrocarbon sectors in support of the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030.
Five economic activities accounted for more than 90% of inward FDI stock. Mining and quarrying represented the largest share at 45.3%, followed by financial and insurance activities at 31.9%, manufacturing at 13%, information and communication at 2.8%, and professional, scientific and technical activities at 2%.
The National Planning Council said the distribution underlined the importance of broadening the foreign direct investment base in non-hydrocarbon sectors to support economic diversification.
For outward investment, financial and insurance activities accounted for 33.5% of total FDI stock, followed by mining and quarrying at 29.8%, information and communication at 10.8%, accommodation and food service activities at 9.1%, and transportation and storage at 7%.
The council said the increase in outward FDI reflects the expanding presence of Qatari investments in international markets and the development of economic and investment partnerships aimed at diversifying assets and strengthening long-term returns.
The results form part of the National Planning Council’s efforts to improve and update national economic statistics and provide more accurate and regular data to support decision-making and measure progress towards national development targets.
The survey covers preliminary estimates of inward and outward FDI stocks and includes data from privately owned companies and some government-owned companies. It does not include international financial transactions carried out by the state or individuals.
The results are also combined with Qatar Central Bank data covering monetary financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. First-quarter 2026 data were based on a sample of approximately 210 establishments operating in Qatar.
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