New economic licences issued in Abu Dhabi rose 21% in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, reflecting continued growth in business activity across the emirate, the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) said on Monday.
ADRA, the business regulation arm of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said the increase in new licences across regions and sectors highlighted the attractiveness of Abu Dhabi’s business environment and its ability to sustain growth despite regional challenges.
Active economic licences in the emirate increased 12% during the quarter compared with the same period a year earlier.
Growth across regions
New economic licences increased across all regions of Abu Dhabi during the first quarter.
Licences issued in the Al Ain region rose 58% year-on-year, while Al Dhafra recorded a 28% increase. New licences in the Abu Dhabi region grew 18%, ADRA said.
The authority said the figures reflected broad-based growth across the emirate’s economy.
Professional licences lead sector gains
New professional licences recorded the strongest growth, rising 193% from a year earlier.
Commercial licences increased 20%, while licences covering agriculture, fisheries and livestock activities rose 5%.
Industrial licences transitioning into the production phase increased 3% during the quarter, with 34 industrial facilities entering full operations between January and March.
ADRA said the increase supports the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy by strengthening supply chains and expanding local production capacity.
Trader and freelance licences expand
Licences issued under the Tajer Abu Dhabi programme increased 17% during the quarter.
Freelance licences surged 261%, while Mobdea licences rose 15%, reflecting continued demand for entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities, ADRA said.
Promotional offers increased 2% and advertisements rose 26%, indicating expanding commercial activity across the emirate.
Officials cite business environment
Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, undersecretary of ADDED, said the results demonstrated Abu Dhabi’s ability to maintain economic growth despite global and regional challenges.
He said the emirate would continue working with companies, investors and other stakeholders to enhance competitiveness and strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a destination for businesses, talent and investment.
Mohamed Munif Al Mansoori, director general of ADRA, said the authority remained focused on supporting market stability, protecting consumer rights and ensuring the smooth operation of supply chains as demand for establishing businesses in Abu Dhabi continued to grow.
