Transport, communication to take largest share in public investments

ANKARA

The 2026 Public Investment Program allocates a total of 1.92 trillion Turkish Liras across 13,887 projects, with the largest share directed to the transport and communications sector.

Signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the program earmarks 26.5 percent of the investment budget for infrastructure in transportation and communications, underscoring the government’s priority to strengthen connectivity and logistics.

Of the projects planned for 2026, 3,857 are classified as major initiatives. While 5,335 projects were completed in 2025, the new program introduces 5,284 additional projects, including 2,403 multi-year undertakings and 2,881 scheduled for completion within a single year.

Railway development stands out as a central focus. High-standard rail projects have been allocated 145.6 billion liras, while 8.1 billion liras is designated for connection lines aimed at boosting production and trade. Strategic projects such as the Divriği-Kars, Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu and the Development Corridor Railway Line will receive 15.5 billion liras to enhance Türkiye’s integration with international freight corridors and solidify its role as a regional logistics hub.

The mining sector follows with an 18 percent share of the investment program. The Sakarya Gas Field Development Project, designed to harness the Black Sea’s 785 billion cubic meters of natural gas, has been allocated 211.4 billion liras. Additional oil and gas exploration and production activities aimed at reducing energy dependency will receive 121.2 billion liras.

Agriculture accounts for 10 percent of the investment budget. The State Hydraulic Works Directorate (DSİ) plans to bring 64,000 hectares under irrigation and renew systems across 15,000 hectares. Projects under the GAP Action Plan will receive 34.1 billion liras, while flood protection initiatives are allocated 35 billion liras.

The health sector will receive 9 percent of the total investment, with funds directed toward improving infrastructure, access and service quality, while reducing regional disparities. The Industry and Technology Ministry has been granted 35.8 billion liras to expand investment zones, including 17.6 billion liras for organized industrial zones and 12.6 billion liras for small industrial sites.

To strengthen Türkiye’s research and innovation capacity, 39 billion liras has been allocated to programs such as TÜBİTAK TARAL, research infrastructure projects at universities and public institutions and the Research Universities Support Program.

Earthquake preparedness is another major pillar of the 2026 program, with 697 billion liras devoted to projects aimed at resilience. Of this, 45.7 percent of funds are directed to the health sector, 19.5 percent to education and 16 percent to housing.