Kuwait accelerated the pace of government and oil project awards during the first half of 2026, with 154 tenders and practices awarded at a combined value of approximately 1.07 billion dinars, according to semi-annual data from the Central Agency for Public Tenders.
The awards come as government authorities move ahead with development and service projects aimed at supporting economic activity and strengthening infrastructure and public facilities. The Central Agency for Public Tenders said it held 54 meetings between the beginning of January and the end of June to discuss matters related to tender procedures, applications, opening bids, contract awards and other public tender services.
91,191 tender requests
The agency reported 91,191 tender requests related to government and oil sector projects during the period, with procedures continuing according to the respective stages of each project. The 154 awarded tenders and practices had an estimated value of approximately 1.19 billion dinars, resulting in savings of about 120.3 million dinars compared with the estimated value.
Oil sector projects accounted for approximately 475.1 million dinars through four tenders, while government ministries, agencies and bodies received awards worth 596.28 million dinars through 150 tenders and practices. The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy topped government entities by awarded value, with 430.4 million dinars through 35 tenders and practices.
The public Authority for Civil Aviation followed with 35.4 million dinars through five tenders and practices, while the Ministry of Public Works ranked third with 16.53 million dinars through seven tenders and practices.
Kuwait Oil Company leads oil awards
Within the oil sector, Kuwait Oil Company accounted for the largest share of awarded contracts, with three tenders worth a combined 461.48 million dinars. Kuwait National Petroleum Company followed with one tender valued at 12.68 million dinars.
The figures show that most of the value of oil sector contracts awarded during the first half of 2026 was concentrated in Kuwait Oil Company projects. Electrical and mechanical works ranked first by number of awards among government and oil sector projects, with 39 projects, representing about 25 percent of the total.
The projects covered maintenance of stations, generators, water pumps, cables and lighting, along with electrical, mechanical, marine, fire suppression and air-conditioning systems. Technology, information and communications systems ranked second with 26 projects, accounting for 17 percent of total awards. These included maintenance of information and communications technology equipment and systems, as well as related consulting services.
Labor supply projects ranked third with 17 awards, or 11 percent of the total. These projects covered security, guarding, correspondence, printing, loading and handling services, as well as specialized technical labor. The data reflects the expanding range of projects being advanced in Kuwait, covering infrastructure, operational works, digital services and oil sector activities.
Government and oil projects also provide a channel for public spending to translate into economic activity by generating demand for building materials, services, equipment and labor, while supporting local companies, contractors and suppliers.
The impact of the awards will depend on the pace of project implementation, the local content ratio of contracts and the ability of projects to generate sustainable economic activity. Accelerated implementation of capital projects could also increase the contribution of non-oil activities to GDP, particularly construction, services, transportation, storage and manufacturing.
