DUBAI: Dubai has carried its robust economic momentum into 2026, with the emirate's Gross Domestic Product reaching AED232 billion in the first quarter — a 2.4 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
The performance underscores the strength, resilience, and adaptability of an economy built on diversification, strategic integration across sectors, and forward-looking development policies that continue to sharpen its global competitiveness.
The latest GDP figures also incorporate a revised data series, updated from previously published estimates to reflect the newest results of economic surveys and administrative records. The recalibration aligns with international statistical best practices, enhancing both the accuracy and reliability of Dubai's economic reporting.
Sectoral highlights
The human health and social work activities sector posted the highest growth rate among all sectors at 17.5 per cent, with gross value-added reaching AED3.6 billion and contributing 1.5 per cent to the emirate's overall GDP.
The electricity, gas, and water supply; waste management activities sector registered an 8.4 per cent expansion, with gross value-added climbing to AED4.6 billion, accounting for 2 per cent of GDP — up from AED4.3 billion and a 1.9 per cent share in Q1 2025.
The construction sector also delivered strong results, growing 8.2 per cent year-on-year. Its gross value-added reached approximately AED18.7 billion, contributing 8.1 per cent to Dubai's GDP during the quarter.
Several foundational sectors continued their consistent upward trajectory:
- Wholesale and Retail Trade remained the largest contributor to Dubai's economy, generating AED50.9 billion in real gross value-added — a 2.6 per cent increase from AED49.6 billion in Q1 2025. The sector accounted for approximately 22 per cent of GDP and contributed roughly 0.57 percentage points to total economic growth, representing nearly a quarter of all growth achieved during the quarter.
- Real Estate Activities expanded by 3.1 per cent, generating approximately AED26 billion in gross value-added and contributing 11.2 per cent to GDP.
- Financial and Insurance Activities recorded a notable 6.5 per cent growth, with gross value-added reaching AED32.4 billion. The sector accounted for 14 per cent of total GDP and contributed 0.88 percentage points to realised growth — equivalent to 37 per cent of total growth in Q1. This marks a step up from its 13.4 per cent GDP share and AED 30.4 billion contribution in the same quarter of 2025.
- Information and Communication grew by 2.7 per cent, with real gross value-added reaching AED12.1 billion, up from AED11.8 billion. The sector represented 5.2 per cent of the economy and added 0.14 percentage points to overall growth.
- Administrative and Support Service Activities posted 3.6 per cent growth, with its value rising to AED10.5 billion, maintaining a 4.5 per cent share of GDP.
A strategy-driven growth story
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, attributed the results to deliberate and sustained strategic planning:
"Dubai's economic growth continues to be anchored in visionary leadership, proactive strategic planning, and a deep-rooted resilience across our key sectors. The Q1 2026 GDP results reflect another successive quarter of robust performance, marking a consistent trajectory that has established a strong platform for stability and positioned Dubai to accelerate through the remainder of the year and beyond."
Almarri emphasised that successive quarters of strong performance are not coincidental but rather "the product of deliberate policy, structural depth, and an economy built to perform regardless of external conditions."
He pointed to the synergy between public and private sectors and sustained global investor confidence as key drivers for the next phase of development, aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, highlighted the role of the emirate's diversified economic model: "The strong performance across key economic sectors highlights the success of the emirate's diversified and agile economic model, built on competitiveness, innovation, and global connectivity, while advancing the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to position Dubai among the world's top three urban economies."
Al Mansoori added that Dubai is reinforcing its economic ecosystem by investing in government efficiency, institutional capabilities, and modern technologies that support informed decision-making — efforts he said would "contribute to achieving further economic milestones" and strengthen Dubai's position as a global hub for business, investment, and talent.
Younus Al Nasser, Chief Executive of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment at Digital Dubai, underscored the growing role of data in shaping economic outcomes:
"Data today is a strategic asset that informs investment direction, improves policy effectiveness, and enables more precise and agile decision-making across all levels."
He described Dubai's integrated data and statistics ecosystem as one grounded in quality, accuracy, and trust — delivering reliable indicators that enable forward-looking planning and evidence-based policymaking. The maturity of this ecosystem, he noted, is "accelerating innovation, enhancing sector competitiveness, and strengthening Dubai's capacity to anticipate emerging opportunities and drive more sustainable and inclusive growth."
