Doha, Qatar: Qatar recorded a significant rise in contract awards during the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, reflecting the country’s continued momentum in infrastructure and energy sector development.

This strong growth was largely driven by major investments in the gas sector, which nearly doubled in value to $8.2bn during the same period, noted a report by Kamco Invest.

The total value of contracts awarded in Qatar registered a strong year-on-year (y-o-y) increase of 62.1% , attaining $8.8bn in first quarter of 2026 against $5.5bn in Q1-2025, according to MEED Projects.

This expansion in contract awards was principally driven by a substantial surge in the value of projects within Qatar’s gas sector, which recorded a nearly two-fold increase to reach $8.2bn in Q1-2026, up from $4.3bn in Q1-2025.

The gas sector constituted over 93% of the total contracts awarded in the country during the quarter, which was mainly due to the recent $8bn investment that Qatar has committed to building two new LNG processing trains with a total capacity of 16 million tonnes per year.

The sharp increase in project activity highlights Qatar’s continued commitment to expanding its energy infrastructure while supporting broader economic diversification goals under Qatar National Vision 2030.

The country has maintained a steady pipeline of strategic developments aimed at enhancing production capacity, strengthening export capabilities, and attracting long-term foreign investment. The strong performance in Q1 reflects renewed confidence in the regional projects market.

Qatar’s stable economic outlook, coupled with high levels of public sector spending, will continue to create opportunities for contractors, suppliers, and investors operating across the country’s construction and energy markets.

Meanwhile the GCC projects market experienced a slowdown in Q1-2026 as a direct consequence of regional instability. The total value of contracts awarded across the Gulf Cooperation Council declined by 9.7% y-o-y in Q1-2026, reaching $61.2bn, compared to $67.8bn in Q1-2025.

© Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).