United Arab Emirates' GDP surpasses Dh455 billion in Q1, with the non-oil sector's contribution reaching a record-high 77.3%
Abu Dhabi's economy grew by 3.4% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, reaching a total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Dh291 billion, according to data released by the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD). This growth reaffirms the UAE's economic model's ability to nurture business, talent, and ideas, as stated by Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.
The UAE's economy, in its entirety, grew by 3.9% in real terms during the same period, with a total GDP of Dh455 billion. The contribution of non-oil activities to real GDP in the UAE has reached a historic peak, accounting for 77.3% of total output, according to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.
Manufacturing was the fastest-growing sector in the first quarter, expanding 7.7 percent. Finance and insurance, construction, real estate activities, and trade also experienced growth, with rates of 7 percent, 6.6 percent, 3 percent, and 6.6 percent respectively. Trade led the contribution to non-oil GDP with 15.6 percent, followed by finance and insurance at 14.6 percent, manufacturing at 13.4 percent, construction at 12 percent, and real estate at 7.4 percent.
Bin Touq attributed this achievement to the government's economic strategies aimed at building a knowledge- and innovation-based economy in line with the "We the UAE 2031" vision. The UAE's economic strategies, developed primarily by the UAE government and its economic planning institutions, have been instrumental in boosting non-oil contributions to GDP.
The vision targets GDP of Dh3 trillion within the next decade, according to bin Touq. This ambitious goal underscores the UAE's commitment to economic diversification and sustainable growth.
Ahli stressed that the non-oil GDP growth of more than 5% reflects the country's direction toward establishing a diversified and technologically enabled economy. The success of these strategies is a testament to the UAE's resilience and adaptability in the face of economic challenges.
In conclusion, the first quarter of 2025 has shown promising signs for Abu Dhabi's economy, with non-oil activities reaching a record high. The UAE's economic strategies, guided by the UAE Vision 2031 and beyond, are playing a crucial role in this growth, nurturing sectors on sustainable foundations and paving the way for a technologically advanced, diversified economy.
