Doha, September 27 (QNA) - The Ministry of Labour (MOL) announced Sunday the 22 winners of the inaugural Qatar Private Sector Nationalization Award 2026, recognizing 14 entities and eight individuals for outstanding contributions to nationalisation across nine key sectors.

During the press conference announcing the award winners, HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al-Thani expressed her pride in the achievements of the winning individuals and establishments. These accomplishments reflect their excellence and active contributions to supporting the nationalization drive and enhancing the presence of national talent within the private sector.

Beyond recognizing individual achievements, the Award reflects the MOL's broader view of nationalization as a long-term investment in Qatar's human capital and in the private sector's capacity to develop, retain and benefit from national talent

HE Sheikha Najwa said that human development had remained central to Qatar's development journey since the launch of Qatar National Vision 2030, with people regarded as both the foundation and the ultimate purpose of development. Building on this principle, the Third National Development Strategy seeks to develop a future-ready workforce, raise productivity and skills, and expand opportunities for Qatari talent across economic sectors.

HE Sheikha Najwa said the MOL's nationalization efforts extend beyond labour-market participation to career development, enabling Qataris to build clear career pathways, acquire skills and experience, advance professionally and assume greater responsibilities.

HE Sheikha Najwa emphasized that the private sector is a key partner in translating these objectives into lasting outcomes.

In turn, Assistant Undersecretary for National Manpower Affairs in the Private Sector Khames Mohammed Al Nuaimi outlined the key aspects of the Award's inaugural edition, the level of participation and engagement it attracted, and the major indicators and results emerging from the evaluation and judging stages, in preparation for the announcement of the winners.

He said the Award reflects Qatar's investment in national talent as a pillar of sustainable development and a diversified, knowledge-based economy. It encourages competition among private-sector entities and recognizes achievements by organizations, national talent, leaders and innovators.

He indicated that the Award covers nine sectors through sectoral and thematic categories. Individuals accounted for 59 percent of the 426 applications, while entities represented 41 percent. Participation was highest in Financial Services, followed by Logistics Services and Education. Organizations of all sizes competed on the quality and effectiveness of their nationalization practices, with small and medium-sized entities participating alongside larger organizations.

Applications first underwent eligibility screening and desk assessment, followed by field assessments and interviews, before advancing to the judging stage. The assessment included 56 field visits to eligible entities and 59 interviews with eligible individuals. The final results were submitted to the Award's Board of Trustees, chaired by HE Minister of Labour Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri for approval. (QNA)