The Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy (ADIS) is supercharging the manufacturing sector and accelerating economic diversification in the emirate. The launch of ADIS launch in June 2022 has resulted in a remarkable 23 percent growth in the industrial GDP of Abu Dhabi, increasing from AED90.8 billion ($24.7 billion) in 2022 to AED111.6 billion ($30.4 billion) in 2024. Additionally, the number of industrial enterprises has risen by 19.4 percent, growing from 925 to 1,104, according to Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED).
During a panel discussion at the opening of the 4th session of ‘Make it in the Emirates’, Al Zaabi emphasized the initiatives and programs developed by the UAE and Abu Dhabi to create an investment climate that fosters industrial growth and ensures long-term economic resilience.
Attracting global talent and investments
Al Zaabi noted, “The UAE has developed a robust ecosystem that attracts and empowers global talents and high-quality investments, as reflected in the significant growth of FDIs in various sectors, including the industrial sector.”
He further explained that the UAE’s industrial strategy has laid down the necessary frameworks to stimulate the industrial sector, focusing on enhancing resilience to address emerging trends, challenges, and rapid changes through various programs, including talent development, financing, ease of doing business, supply chains, ICV, sustainability, Industry 4.0, and the attraction of foreign direct investments.
“We work closely with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) to contribute to ‘Operation 300bn’, aiming to raise the industrial sector GDP to AED300 billion by 2031 and align with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy,” he stated.
Al Zaabi highlighted that Abu Dhabi’s manufacturing sector has increased its contribution to 53 percent of the UAE’s industrial GDP, which rose by 6.6 percent to AED210 billion in 2024. This is in comparison to a contribution of 51.3 percent to the country’s industrial sector in 2023 and 46 percent in 2022.
Strengthening the Falcon Economy
“A key component of our soaring ‘Falcon Economy’, ADIS is strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as the region’s most competitive industrial hub. It is guiding the manufacturing sector’s transition to Industry 4.0 and the adoption of smart manufacturing methods, techniques, and approaches,” he stated.
In the previous year, Abu Dhabi’s manufacturing sector continued to be the largest non-oil contributor to the emirate’s GDP, representing 9.5 percent of total GDP and 17.3 percent of non-oil GDP.
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Continued growth in industrial licenses
In Q1-2025, the industrial sector maintained its growth trajectory, with the number of new industrial licenses rising by 4.7 percent to 89, compared to 85 new licenses in the same period last year. The number of industrial licenses moving from under-construction to production stage surged by 65 percent to 33, up from 20 in Q1-2024.
Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Economy is swiftly emerging as a global hub for advanced industries and technologies, establishing world-class centers for finance, advanced manufacturing, AI, and New Energy.
As part of its initiatives to leverage advanced technologies to meet pressing needs and future-proof the economy, Abu Dhabi is launching sector-specific clusters, including the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industries (SAVI), AgriFood Growth & Water Abundance (AGWA), and Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM).
