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UAE’s economy grows 3% to Dh485 billion in Q1 2026
Non-oil GDP grew by 4.8 per cent, raising its contribution to 79.4 per cent of the overall economy, up from 78 per cent during the same period last year
- PUBLISHED: Tue 4 Aug 2026, 1:27 PM UPDATED: Tue 4 Aug 2026, 1:47 PM
The UAE’s non-oil sector contributed almost 80 per cent of the national economy during the first quarter of 2026 as its real gross domestic product grew 3 per cent to Dh485 billion.
Non-oil GDP grew by 4.8 per cent, raising its contribution to 79.4 per cent of the overall economy, up from 78 per cent during the same period last year, according to the country’s Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.
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Earlier, Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced that the country’s non-oil exports reached a record Dh452.8 billion during the first half of 2026, a 23.4 per cent rise year-on-year.
Fastest-growing economic sectors
The strongest sectors that led to this performance are financial and insurance activities, contributing around 17.3 per cent. Construction followed at 8.1 per cent, human health and social work activities at 7.7 per cent, information and communication activities by 5.9 per cent, and professional, scientific and technical activities together with administrative and support service activities grew by 4.9 per cent.
Other sectors also saw notable changes, with real estate growing by 4.8 per cent, public administration, defence and compulsory social security by 4.5 per cent, and wholesale and retail trade by 2.6 per cent, reflecting the diversity of growth sources and the broadening productive base of the national economy.
Sectors leading the non-oil growth
In terms of their actual contribution to growth, financial and insurance activities ranked first, contributing 2.44 percentage points to non-oil GDP growth, followed by construction with 1.04 percentage points, wholesale and retail trade with 0.42 percentage points, real estate activities with 0.36 percentage points, and professional, scientific and technical activities together with administrative services with 0.29 percentage points.
Hind Aldah is a business reporter based in Sharjah. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.