Dubai After 20 Years of The Executive Council: GDP Doubles to AED 937 Billion, Non-Oil Trade Above AED 3 Trillion, AED 917 Billion of Property Deals in 2025 and First Place in the World for Greenfield FDI

2026-09-08

On 7 September 2026 the Dubai Media Office published a summary of what the emirate has achieved in the 20 years since Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, became Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai in September 2006. The figures are the substance of the anniversary: Dubai’s GDP has doubled over two decades to AED 937 billion, non-oil foreign trade has passed AED 3 trillion, real estate transactions reached AED 917 billion in 2025, and aggregated government expenditure over the 20 years came to AED 1.2 trillion. Dubai ranks first in the world for the number of greenfield foreign direct investment projects it attracts, first for a fourth consecutive year for FDI in the cultural and creative industries, seventh in the Global Financial Centres Index and second in the Intelligent City Index. Dubai International Airport is the busiest airport in the world for international passengers, the emirate welcomed 20 million visitors, the road network has reached 25,974 lane-kilometres, and 99.9% of people say they feel safe. This article sets out the figures, where each one comes from, and what they mean for a company that operates in Dubai or plans to open here.

Dubai after 20 years: the figures at a glance

What The Executive Council is and why the date matters

The Executive Council of Dubai is the body that turns the Ruler’s direction into government policy. It was established in February 2003 by Law No. 3 of 2003 to manage government affairs under the supervision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed took over the chairmanship in September 2006. The current legal basis is Law No. 26 of 2023, issued on 14 December 2023, which replaced the 2003 law. Under it the Council consists of a Chairman, one or more deputies, the Secretary General and the heads of government entities. It approves the general policies of the emirate in all strategic fields, the Dubai strategic plan and fiscal policy, supervises government performance and global competitiveness, approves the establishment and restructuring of government entities subject to the Ruler’s approval, and directs legislation in strategic sectors.

That is why the 20-year mark is reported as a set of numbers rather than as a ceremony. The Media Office statement of 7 September 2026 describes a whole-of-government model in which planning is fast-tracked to delivery and resources to priorities, and it measures the result in the indicators listed above. The statement also names Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance of the UAE, alongside the Crown Prince in the economic results.

Economy: GDP doubled to AED 937 billion

The headline economic figure is a GDP of AED 937 billion, which the statement describes as double the level of 20 years ago. The same number was used by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) in its Dubai FDI Monitor release of 23 June 2026, which put 2025 GDP at AED 937 billion with annual growth of 5.4% and growth of 6.4% in the fourth quarter. A later preliminary estimate from the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, reported on 29 July 2026 with the launch of the 2026 Economic Survey, put 2025 GDP at current prices at AED 972 billion, up from AED 890 billion in 2024, with 4.69 million employed persons in 2025 against 4.48 million a year earlier and employee compensation of AED 409 billion against AED 397 billion. The two figures come from different releases and neither has been withdrawn; the anniversary statement uses AED 937 billion.

Behind the GDP figure sits AED 1.2 trillion of aggregated government expenditure over the 20 years, which the statement links to the funding of priorities, services and infrastructure. The wider country context is a sovereign rating of AA with a stable outlook, which S&P affirmed for the UAE on 4 September 2026.

Trade above AED 3 trillion and the world’s busiest international airport

Non-oil foreign trade has exceeded AED 3 trillion, according to the statement, which does not specify the period. The figure fits the trajectory reported earlier: Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade reached a record AED 1.2 trillion in the first half of 2025, and the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority reported in June 2026 that its own trade of AED 491 billion in 2025 represented 16% of the emirate’s non-oil trade, which is consistent with a total above AED 3 trillion for the year. For comparison, the UAE as a whole reported non-oil foreign trade of about AED 3.8 trillion for 2025, above USD 1 trillion for the first time.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) is described in the statement as the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic. Dubai Airports closed 2025 with a record 95.2 million passengers, after 92.3 million in 2024, and its chief executive Paul Griffiths said on 26 August 2026 that DXB will reach 100 million passengers a year within about 18 months. On 7 September 2026 the ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East Air Connectivity Index ranked DXB first of 315 airports for both total and hub connectivity. On the ground, the road network has reached 25,974 lane-kilometres.

Real estate: AED 917 billion of transactions in 2025

The property figure in the statement is the Dubai Land Department’s own annual result. On 12 January 2026 DLD Director General Omar Hamad Bu Shehab reported more than 270,000 real estate transactions worth AED 917 billion (USD 249.7 billion) in 2025, up 20% on 2024, within 3.11 million real estate procedures of all kinds, up 7%. Real estate investment exceeded AED 680 billion across 258,600 deals, up 29% in value and 20% in number. The investor base reached 193,100 people, up 24%, of whom 129,600 were new investors and 56.6% were UAE residents. Women invested AED 154 billion through 76,700 deals. DLD’s stated target is AED 1 trillion of transactions by 2033. For a company that buys or leases premises this is the market it operates in; for an individual investor the same DLD data links a residential purchase to residency options, which we cover in our Golden Visa service and mortgage assistance.

Investment: first in the world for greenfield FDI

Dubai ranks first globally for attracting greenfield FDI projects. The underlying data, published by DET on 23 June 2026 from the Financial Times fDi Markets database, show 1,253 greenfield projects announced in Dubai in 2025, up 10.5% on 2024, a record 7% share of all greenfield projects worldwide and the fifth consecutive year at No. 1. Those projects brought USD 8.83 billion (AED 32.43 billion) of capital and created 38,918 jobs, up 18.8% from 32,754 in 2024. Dubai was also first in the world for headquarters projects and artificial intelligence projects for a fourth consecutive year, and first for manufacturing projects for the first time. In the cultural and creative industries the emirate attracted 754 projects and USD 3.756 billion of capital in 2025, the fourth year in a row at first place. The UAE as a whole recorded AED 177.3 billion of FDI inflows in 2025 and ninth place globally in UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2026.

Three further rankings appear in the statement. In the Global Financial Centres Index Dubai is first in the region and among the world’s top 10: GFCI 39, published on 26 March 2026, placed Dubai seventh, its highest position ever, behind New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, San Francisco and Shanghai. The DIFC, whose companies drive that ranking, passed 10,000 active registered companies in the first half of 2026. In the Intelligent City Index Dubai ranks second in the world for the use of technology in services and ease of doing business, and in the Global Power City Index it is the world’s cleanest city for a sixth year running.

People: safety, health and government services

The statement puts the social indicators first. 99.9% of people in Dubai say they feel safe. Healthy life expectancy is 80.75 years. Dubai ranks among the world’s top five in several international education assessments. Customer happiness with Government of Dubai services is 95% and employee happiness in government is 89.3%. Housing solutions for citizens have amounted to AED 50 billion over 20 years, the emirate has 27 majlis and community centres, and green space exceeds 55.7 million square metres. The tourism figure of 20 million visitors matches the DET count of 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, up 5% from 18.72 million in 2024 and the third record year in a row, with average hotel occupancy of 80.7%.

What the 20-year figures mean for a business in Dubai

None of the figures in the statement changes a procedure, a fee or a deadline. Their practical value is different: they describe the size and direction of the market a company enters when it registers in Dubai. Three readings are useful.

• Market scale. A GDP of AED 937 billion, more than 270,000 property transactions a year and 95.2 million airport passengers describe the demand for services, premises and logistics that a new company can plan against. The Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation issued 58,337 new business licences in the first half of 2026 alone and renewed 173,652.
• Competition for the same investors. 1,253 greenfield projects in one year means a company opening in Dubai joins more than 1,000 foreign entrants annually; the choice between mainland and free zone, the licence activity and the bank onboarding are where time is won or lost. Our company setup service sets out the options, and the bank account opening service covers what UAE banks ask of a new company.
• Staff and residency. The 38,918 jobs created by greenfield FDI in 2025 and the 4.69 million employed persons in the emirate go through the same work permit and residence visa system; the sequence of establishment card, entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and visa stamping is described in our work visa and residency service.

Checklist: reading Dubai’s 20-year figures as a founder

• Quote official sources for the numbers in a business plan or a bank application: Dubai Media Office (7 September 2026), DLD (12 January 2026), DET Dubai FDI Monitor (23 June 2026), GFCI 39 (26 March 2026).
• Note the period behind each figure: real estate AED 917 billion is for calendar 2025; government expenditure AED 1.2 trillion is aggregated over 20 years; non-oil trade above AED 3 trillion is given without a period.
• Where two official GDP figures exist (AED 937 billion in the anniversary statement, AED 972 billion in the DDSE preliminary estimate), cite the source and date with the number.
• Match the sector rankings to your activity: headquarters, AI, manufacturing, creative industries and financial services are the categories where Dubai reported first place for 2025.
• Plan the setup sequence before the market entry date: licence, then corporate bank account, then visas for staff; each step has its own document list.

How Atlant Capital can help

Atlant Capital works with founders and companies entering Dubai from the first document to the first invoice. We register companies on the mainland and in free zones and select the licence activity that fits the business, open corporate and personal bank accounts, obtain work permits and residence visas for owners, staff and families, and support Golden Visa applications for property investors and professionals. Accounting, audit and tax filing are handled by licensed accounting firms from our partner network. Write to us through the contact page with a short description of the business and the planned start date.

Conclusion

The 20-year statement of 7 September 2026 is a compact record of Dubai’s position in 2026: GDP of AED 937 billion, non-oil trade above AED 3 trillion, AED 917 billion of property transactions in 2025, first place in the world for greenfield FDI projects for a fifth year, seventh place among global financial centres and the busiest international airport in the world. For a business the numbers are context, not a change in the rules; the rules that matter at entry are the licence, the bank account and the visas, and those are the parts that require preparation.

FAQ

What is Dubai’s GDP in 2025?

The Dubai Media Office statement of 7 September 2026 puts Dubai’s GDP at AED 937 billion, double the level of 20 years ago; the Dubai FDI Monitor release of 23 June 2026 uses the same figure for 2025 with growth of 5.4%. A preliminary estimate by the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment reported on 29 July 2026 gives AED 972 billion at current prices for 2025, up from AED 890 billion in 2024.

How much real estate was sold in Dubai in 2025?

According to the Dubai Land Department, real estate transactions in 2025 exceeded AED 917 billion (USD 249.7 billion) across more than 270,000 transactions, up 20% on 2024. Investment accounted for over AED 680 billion in 258,600 deals, the number of investors rose 24% to 193,100, and 56.6% of investors were UAE residents.

Is Dubai really first in the world for foreign direct investment?

By the number of greenfield FDI projects, yes. The Financial Times fDi Markets database recorded 1,253 greenfield projects in Dubai in 2025, 7% of the global total and the fifth consecutive year at first place, with USD 8.83 billion (AED 32.43 billion) of capital and 38,918 jobs. By total FDI inflows the UAE as a country ranked ninth in the world in 2025 with AED 177.3 billion, according to UNCTAD.

What does The Executive Council of Dubai do?

It is the executive body of the Government of Dubai, established in February 2003 and now governed by Law No. 26 of 2023. Chaired by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed since September 2006, it approves the general policies and strategic plan of the emirate, fiscal policy, the establishment and restructuring of government entities and legislation in strategic sectors, and supervises government performance and competitiveness.