Brief
Abu Dhabi economic licences rise 5% in H1 2026, freelancers up 224%
New data show modest growth in overall licences but a sharp surge among freelancers, according to ADRA.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) said the emirate issued 5% more new economic licences in the first half of 2026 than in the same period a year earlier, while renewed licences also rose by 5%.
Freelancer licences surged dramatically, increasing 224% compared with H1 2025. New crafts and occupational licences were up 136%, Mobdea licences grew 10%, and the Tajer Abu Dhabi category rose 8%.
Industrial activity showed steady progress, with 90 industrial licences entering construction and 61 moving to production, representing investments exceeding AED 106 million.
ADRA Director General Mohamed Munif Al Mansoori said the figures reflect the authority’s effort to keep pace with business needs, adding that the government has exempted businesses from fines for three months to support licence renewals.
Key facts
- New economic licences rose 5% in H1 2026 versus 2025 (gulfnews.com)
- Freelancer licences increased 224% year‑on‑year (gulfnews.com)
- Industrial licences worth over AED 106 million entered construction or production (gulfnews.com)
- ADRA exempted businesses from fines for three months to aid renewals (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “Abu Dhabi's Business Boom: Economic Licenses Surge Amid Freelancer and Industrial Growth”
