The Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the regulatory arm of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), recorded a 5% year-on-year rise in new economic licenses during the first half of 2026, with renewals also up 5% and advertising permits climbing 14%.
Entrepreneurship led the gains, with freelancer licenses jumping 224%, new crafts and occupational licenses rising 136%, Mobdea licenses growing 10% and the Tajer Abu Dhabi category advancing 8%, while commercial licenses rose 4%.
On the industrial front, 90 licenses moved into construction and 61 progressed into production, a combined 151 licenses representing investment of more than AED 106 million under the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy.
ADRA introduced 11 new economic activities during the period and granted a three-month exemption from fines on late licence renewals.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer