The Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority (ADRA), an arm of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) to develop and regulate the business sector, has revealed significant growth in business licences and compliance indicators in the emirate’s mainland and non-financial economic free zones during 2024.
The number of new economic licences in the emirate’s mainland increased by 16 per cent, reflecting Abu Dhabi's attractiveness as a destination for local and international business and investment, supported by its business-friendly ecosystem and world-class transparency and governance standards.
Additionally, Abu Dhabi saw 22 per cent growth in active licences in the non-financial economic free zones. The number of Real Beneficiary requests reached 47,291, reflecting the effectiveness of initiatives launched by the emirate over the past few years to enhance compliance with local and international standards and strengthen Abu Dhabi economic competitiveness.
ADRA also reported a 27 per cent increase in renewed licences in the emirate’s mainland, the result of Abu Dhabi’s efforts to enhance the ease of doing business and create promising opportunities. Active licences rose 9 per cent compared to 2023.
His Excellency Mohammed Munif Al Mansouri, Executive Director, ADRA, said: "The high growth rates in economic licences reaffirm Abu Dhabi’s attractiveness to investors and entrepreneurs to benefit from the emirate’s thriving economy and its promising opportunities. We remain committed to meeting the business sector’s needs by continuously enhancing a supportive and stimulating environment for growth and prosperity.
“Over the past year, our initiatives to enhance ease of doing business, empower women and expand economic activities have significantly increased certain licence categories, such as Tajer Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi Trader), freelancer, and the Mobdea. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to providing the ideal environment for entrepreneurs and investors, aligning with the emirate’s initiatives to accelerate growth and diversification, and continuously develop legislative and regulatory frameworks while advancing digital transformation."
The Mobdea licences, designated for Emirati women to turn their creative passions into commercial endeavours, grew from 1,456 licences in 2023 to 2,503 last year, with a 72 per cent increase. This growth is a result of the emirate’s continuous efforts to empower women in the economy, enabling them to conduct their businesses without needing physical premises, covering more than 50 economic activities.Freelancer licences have also grown significantly from 1,013 in 2023 to 2,065 in 2024, reflecting a 104 per cent increase. Among these, licences issued to Emiratis rose by 371 per cent, from 84 in 2023 to 396 in 2024. The growth rate for new licences issued to other nationalities ranged from 20 per cent to 107 per cent. The Freelancer licence allows UAE Nationals and residents with specialised skills and expertise to engage in over 100 economic activities at minimal cost. It leverages diverse knowledge and expertise, and accelerates a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy.
The Tajer Abu Dhabi licences increased by 20 per cent, with 7,187 licences issued last year compared to 5,989 in 2023. Recently, 12 new economic activities were added to this licence category, allowing entrepreneurs, micro, small, and medium enterprises to start their businesses without needing physical premises for the first three years. The number of economic activities covered under this licence has grown to more than 1,200, compared to just 30 when it was first introduced in 2017.
