Abu Dhabi recorded a 36 per cent annual increase in non-oil foreign trade last year as the emirate moves ahead with its economic diversification agenda.
The emirate’s non-oil foreign trade exceeded Dh415.4 billion ($113 billion) last year, up from about Dh306 billion in 2024, the Abu Dhabi Media Office reported on Tuesday, quoting Abu Dhabi Customs data.
The growth was driven by expanding commercial activity and global economic partnerships, the report said.
The figures reflect “a system built for efficiency, scale, and continuity”, said Ahmed Al Zaabi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. “This growth is driven by deliberate alignment across policy, infrastructure, and market access, enabling trade flows to move with speed and reliability.”
Non-oil exports rose sharply by nearly 63 per cent annually to Dh175.4 billion last year, while imports grew by 22 per cent to Dh170.4 billion, the report said. Re-exports also increased by 20 per cent to Dh70 billion.
The growth signals deeper integration into global trade flows and a more competitive position across key corridors, Mr Al Zaabi said.
“Amid an increasingly complex global environment, Abu Dhabi continues to ensure fluid trade movement, reduce friction across supply chains, and operate with consistency,” he said.
“Our focus remains on expanding partnerships, advancing logistics capabilities, and enabling more efficient cross-border trade, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s role as a trusted hub within the global trading system.”
Abu Dhabi has been sharply focused on diversifying its economy away from oil and has taken several measures to attract international investors, boost its competitiveness and improve the ease of conducting business.
The UAE capital's economy expanded by 7.7 per cent annually in the third quarter of 2025 to reach its “highest quarterly value” on record at Dh325.7 billion, official data released in February showed. That was driven by the emirate's non-oil economy, which rose 7.6 per cent from the previous year.
Abu Dhabi’s policies seek to build “a competitive economic model grounded in diversification, sustainability, and openness”, said Rashed Al Mansoori, director general of Abu Dhabi Customs.
“This accelerated growth [in trade] reflects the strength of public – private sector collaboration and highlights the role of the customs ecosystem as a strategic enabler of the business environment.”
Abu Dhabi Customs has been taking efforts to strengthen the resilience of trade ecosystem by boosting the movement of goods through different modes of shipping, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.
Non-oil trade by air represented 33.5 per cent of the total last year, with land at 35 per cent, and sea at 31.5 per cent.
The entity is also adopting digital solutions and smart systems, while strengthening risk management and operational efficiency, Mr Al Mansoori said.
“These efforts support smoother trade flows, faster movement of goods across ports, and further reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for trade and investment.”
The UAE has been boosting trade agreements internationally and extending its role in emerging market trade corridors, with its non-oil foreign trade surging 26 per cent annually last year to exceed $1 trillion for the first time.
This month, the country was also ranked among the world’s top 10 exporters for the first time by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The UAE climbed to ninth place in global goods exports in 2025, up sharply from 17th five years ago. Total goods and services trade reached $1.637 trillion in 2025, the WTO said.
