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Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri highlighted the strong performance during statements to the Emirates News Agency on the sidelines of the Investopia Partners event in Abu Dhabi. The minister attributed the accelerated growth to a clear leadership vision, flexible legislation and a globally competitive business environment that has been strengthened through continuous updates. More than 40 laws and regulations governing the business ecosystem have been revised in recent years contributing to easier operations and higher investment appeal according to bin Touq.
The minister noted that non-oil sectors are demonstrating remarkable resilience with their projected expansion in 2026 set to comprise 78 percent of total GDP. This shift reflects the success of the UAE’s long-term diversification strategy that has reduced reliance on hydrocarbons while bolstering sectors such as trade, finance and tourism. Bin Touq pointed to the updating of economic policies as a key factor in sustaining this momentum.
Company registrations have surged as a direct result of these reforms with the national economic register growing from approximately 650,000 entries five years ago to more than 1.45 million at present the minister reported. He anticipates the figure will climb to 2 million by 2031 as the country continues to draw businesses from around the world. In 2025 alone 250,000 new companies joined bringing the total to 1.4 million which equates to 119 percent growth over the period.
Since the introduction of full foreign ownership for commercial companies in 2021 the UAE has attracted more than 760,000 new enterprises bin Touq stated. Small businesses owned by UAE nationals have increased by 63 percent over the past five years further illustrating broad-based participation in the economy. The Commercial Companies Law has additionally positioned the country as a preferred headquarters for international family businesses seeking to manage global operations from the UAE.
Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre figures show the UAE economy expanded to $517 billion in 2025 with the non-oil component growing 6.8 percent to $408 billion. Non-oil activities accounted for 77.3 percent of GDP in the first quarter of 2025 according to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism. Key drivers included wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, financial services and construction which together underpin the diversification push.
The World Bank projected 5 percent growth for the UAE in 2026 in its January 2026 Global Economic Prospects report aligning with the minister’s assessment at the time. Similar optimism appeared in earlier International Monetary Fund assessments that emphasised robust non-oil activity as the primary engine. These outlooks underscore how policy reforms and an innovation-friendly ecosystem have enhanced the UAE’s attractiveness to foreign direct investment and domestic entrepreneurship.
