The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recorded GDP growth of 5.1 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025, with the economy reaching approximately AED1.4 trillion, the Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, announced on Friday.
The non-oil sector was the engine of this expansion, growing 6.1 per cent during the same period to exceed AED1 trillion, according to data from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC).
The minister attributed the performance to the country’s move towards a knowledge-based economy and a competitive legislative and business environment, in line with the We the UAE 2031 vision, which targets a doubling of the country’s GDP to AED3 trillion by the end of the decade.
Financial services, construction lead UAE’s 5.1% GDP expansion in 2025
Data from the FCSC showed that financial and insurance activities recorded the highest growth among sectors at 9 per cent. Construction followed at 8.7 per cent, real estate at 7.9 per cent, and manufacturing at 6.9 per cent.
In terms of total contribution to non-oil GDP, wholesale and retail remained the component with the largest share at 16.1 per cent. Manufacturing accounted for 13.9 per cent, while financial services and construction contributed 13.5 per cent and 11.9 per cent respectively.
Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the FCSC, said the results “highlight the resilience of the UAE’s economic model amid global shifts.” She noted that “the integration of technologies and artificial intelligence into national statistical systems has improved policy efficiency and development planning.”
