Abu Dhabi’s NMDC Group acquired a 51% stake in Spanish water engineering firm Lantania Aguas, marking the listed contractor’s entry into the European market as it pivots toward high-growth water and desalination sectors, it said in a press release (pdf). The transaction — executed through subsidiary NMDC Infra — will see the new entity rebranded as Lantania NMDC Water. The size of the transaction wasn’t disclosed.

Lantania Aguas is a subsidiary of Spain’s Grupo Lantania. It ranks fourth globally in desalination EPC capacity for 2024-2025 and currently holds a backlog of c.AED 2 bn (EUR 450 mn). The Spanish firm’s portfolio includes major regional projects like the Jubail (600k cbm / d) and Ras Mohaisen (300k cbm / d) desalination plants in Saudi Arabia.

What’s next? Lantania Group will retain 49% of the company, with the current management team remaining in place under a joint structure. We expect the new entity to start bidding for complex water projects across MENA and Southeast Asia, leveraging Lantania’s technical qualifications and NMDC’s massive balance sheet (with the firm boasting a AED 62.3 bn group backlog as of 3Q 2025).

Why it matters

The move builds on NMDC Infra’s broader push to deepen its EPC capabilities beyond marine works. The subsidiary recently set up a 50-50 onshore EPC venture — NMDCCC — targeting onshore work for oil and gas projects in the UAE. The venture will deliver full-lifecycle EPC services and focus on executing NMDC’s backlog and mitigating supply chain risks.

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