The Ministry of Social Affairs launched the Kuwaitization of supply branch manager positions on July 28, 2026, instructing the Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies to begin filling the roles with qualified Kuwaiti nationals who meet specific criteria. Minister of Social Affairs Dr Amthal Al-Huwailah stated that the plan would proceed in phases to expand national participation in the cooperative sector while creating additional job opportunities for citizens. A subsequent ministry update indicated that implementation had commenced, with cooperative societies now accepting applications from candidates holding diplomas in accounting or business administration and at least five years of experience.
Applicants must also submit a criminal record clearance obtained through the Sahel application before their names advance. Cooperative societies review submissions, select suitable candidates and forward lists to the Control Department at the Ministry of Social Affairs for final verification against established conditions. Should no qualified Kuwaiti candidate emerge for a given branch, the directive requires temporary assignment of a Kuwaiti employee to carry out the supply manager duties until a permanent hire is secured.
Basic pay for the branch supply manager position falls between KD 400 and KD 500, augmented by the national employment subsidy available in the private sector together with further allowances and performance incentives. Earlier ministerial decisions had set higher supervisory salaries at KD 1,000 for department heads, KD 1,500 for deputy general managers and KD 2,000 for general managers, according to a 2025 regulation published in the Official Gazette. Kuwait Times reported on August 15 that Kuwaitization efforts in 12 cooperative societies were progressing on schedule under the minister’s direct oversight.
Appointments to these supply manager roles are exempt from the standard six percent allocation for salaries and operational expenses and require no separate approval from the Kuwaitization Committee. The Ministry of Social Affairs circular emphasized that the exemption would accelerate placement of nationals into operational positions that oversee inventory, procurement and branch supply chains. This step forms part of a multi-year Kuwaitization trajectory that began with leadership roles in 2023 and has since expanded to additional support functions across the sector.
Previous phases saw hundreds of Kuwaiti applicants compete for supervisory posts through electronic assessments, interviews and, where necessary, transparent lotteries to ensure fairness. The ministry has maintained that all selections adhere strictly to qualification standards while giving priority to national talent already employed within the cooperative system. Dr Al-Huwailah has reiterated that successive phases will continue until Kuwaitization covers all cooperative societies, aligning with broader Cabinet decisions on workforce nationalization.
The cooperative sector remains a cornerstone of Kuwait’s retail landscape, supplying essential goods to a population where expatriates constitute more than two-thirds of residents according to Public Authority for Civil Information data. By extending Kuwaitization to supply manager positions, authorities aim to strengthen institutional efficiency and provide stable career paths for citizens in a sector long reliant on foreign labor for operational roles. The 30-day timeline set for the current phase underscores the government’s push to meet national employment targets without disrupting supply services to consumers.
