Abu Dhabi is positioning manufacturing as a central engine for 2026 momentum, backed by the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy ADIS and related national programmes. Under ADIS, the emirate will invest AED 10 billion across six transformational programs. The stated goals are to double the manufacturing sector to AED 172 billion and increase non-oil exports by 143% by 2031. The strategy is not abstract. It is already reflected in output. In Q2 2025, Abu Dhabi manufacturing reached AED 30.1 billion, its highest quarterly value ever, contributing 9.8% to total GDP with 3.1% year-on-year growth.
For B2B suppliers, the near-term signal is not just headline investment. It is the pace of projects moving through the industrial pipeline. In 2025, the number of new industrial establishments moving to full operation increased by 53% to reach 115, compared to 75 in 2024. Licensing also accelerated. Abu Dhabi issued 411 new industrial licences in 2025, a 20% increase from 342 in 2024. Licences moving to the construction phase rose 37% to 206, up from 150 in 2024. These steps typically translate into demand for equipment, services, compliance support, and production inputs.
Where 2026 Supplier Demand Can Show Up First
Government commentary frames ADIS around supply-chain strengthening, increased local manufacturing capacity, and attracting global industrial leaders, aligned with Operation 300bn and the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy. Since its launch in 2022, ADIS has advanced targeted programmes including talent development, homegrown supply chains, ecosystem enablement, value chain development, Industry 4.0, and circular economy. Those themes point to recurring supplier needs in 2026: industrial services that improve readiness and scale, plus vendors that can support modernisation initiatives inside factories. In parallel, Abu Dhabi’s ICT activity reached AED 8.6 billion in Q2 2025, the highest level ever, with 6% year-on-year growth, reinforcing demand for technology-enabled industrial solutions.
Regulatory throughput and governance activity also matter to suppliers because they indicate operational intensity and the seriousness of compliance. In 2025, ADRA conducted 1,299 inspection visits across the industrial sector, alongside 828 planned inspections. ADRA technical audit teams supported 35% of industrial licences transitioning into production in 2025, and these transitions contributed approximately AED 340 million to Abu Dhabi’s non-oil GDP. The industrial self-compliance programme added 160 new establishments, up 11% from 144 in 2024. Licences converted from commercial to industrial rose 33% to 16, up from 12 in 2024. Each of these steps can create procurement needs around audits, documentation, safety, and operational controls.
Looking into 2026, broader UAE manufacturing announcements provide context for suppliers that can serve Abu Dhabi-based projects. At Make it in the Emirates 2026, the UAE announced AED 180 billion in new industrial procurement opportunities and a programme to localise production of more than 5,000 products across strategic sectors. The UAE industrial sector was described as contributing AED 200 billion to the national economy, a 70% increase since 2021. Industrial exports were cited at AED 262 billion, including AED 92 billion in advanced industrial products. Locally, Abu Dhabi also recorded a 21% year-on-year jump in new economic licences in Q1 2026 versus Q1 2025, while 34 new industrial facilities entered production, supporting ADIS goals around supply chains and local capacity.
What is the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy ADIS trying to achieve by 2031?
What recent manufacturing performance supports the case for supplier demand?
How fast is Abu Dhabi’s industrial licensing and project pipeline moving?
What 2026 indicator shows continued momentum for new industrial activity?
What UAE-wide procurement signals matter for B2B suppliers serving Abu Dhabi?
