Abu Dhabi Chamber’s new strategy helps membership grow to 157,207

Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), which represents the private sector of the region’s economic powerhouse Abu Dhabi, said, its new three-year strategy announced in 2024 has started to bear fruits as its membership grew 4.9 per cent to 157,207 between September 2024 and June 2025.

Since September 2024, ADCCI has hosted 69 business events with government bodies, welcomed 70 trade and diplomatic delegations, and signed 25 partnership agreements. It has also joined 11 outbound delegations and opened its first overseas representative office in Poland, a strategic step in expanding Abu Dhabi’s international economic footprint. ADCCI also published 364 economic reports on various sectors and has created 15 working groups for different economic sectors to help in policy advocacy.

ADCCI is planning to open offices in key international markets one by one in the coming months, Shamis Ali Al Dhaheri, Second Vice Chairman and Managing Director of ADCCI, told the press, responding to a question by The Arabian Post at a media roundtable held at its head office on Tuesday.

“We are going to make these announcements as and when they happen. In Abu Dhabi, we do not distinguish companies based on the nationality of the owner, rather consider all of them our equal member and we are here to serve them,” he said.

Abu Dhabi’s economy is characterised by a strong oil and gas sector, but the emirate is actively diversifying into non-oil sectors, including tourism, manufacturing, and financial services. In 2024, the non-oil sector saw significant growth, contributing 54.7 per cent to the total GDP. Abu Dhabi’s GDP reached a record Dh1.2 trillion in 2024, with a 3.8 per cent overall growth rate, driven largely by the non-oil economy.

There are five main free zones in Abu Dhabi including Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), Masdar City Free Zone, Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ), and Twofour54 Free Zone. These free zones cater to a variety of industries and sectors, offering unique benefits and infrastructure for businesses.

There are approximately 10,500 companies registered across five free zones in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) is the largest free zone in terms of the number of companies. The UAE overall has over 40 free zones, with Dubai holding the largest share of licenses.

Abu Dhabi currently has approximately 164,000 active business licenses. This figure represents a 16.5 per cent share of the total active licenses in the UAE, which reached one million, according to Akhbrna News. The number of active licenses in Abu Dhabi reflects a 3 per cent increase compared to late 2024.

“We are also welcoming the free zone companies to apply for our membership so that they could benefit from the consultation and our services as we are the voice of the private sector of Abu Dhabi economy,” he said, responding to another question by The Arabian Post.

Recently, Fitch ratings assigned AA credit rating for Abu Dhabi AA with a stable outlook. This rating reflects Abu Dhabi’s strong financial position and its ability to meet its financial obligations. The rating has been affirmed as stable, indicating no immediate changes are expected in the near future.

“The private sector represents 56 per cent of Abu Dhabi economy and ADCCI represents the voice of the private sector of Abu Dhabi economy. Our three-year strategy announced last year is going ahead and we have strengthened our engagement with the businesses – SMEs as well as the larger players – to help the overall development of the private sector,” he said.

“Abu Dhabi’s economic strength is reflected in the number of new members, and we believe strong partnerships between the public and private sectors will continue to produce success. The rise in memberships highlights the Chamber’s strategic role as a key partner in economic development and a driver of competitiveness and sustainable growth. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the business community, sharing its ambitions and providing the tools and resources to compete on the global stage.”

The Chamber’s performance correlates with Abu Dhabi’s economic progress. The emirate’s GDP reached Dh291 billion in Q1 2025, a 3.4 per cent increase year-on-year, driven by a 6.1 per cent rise in non-oil sectors to account for 56.2 per cent of total GDP, reflecting success of economic diversification strategy.

The private sector continues to accelerate economic growth and diversification as evidenced by their impactful role in the highest growing non-oil sectors and largest contributors to economic output such as manufacturing, construction, finance, real estate, and trade.

In addition to its external engagements, the Chamber continued strengthening its internal services. Between September 2024 and June 2025, ADCCI recorded a 90.23 percent customer satisfaction rating on the TAMM platform. The Chamber’s call centre responded to more than 18,900 inquiries, demonstrating its level of responsiveness and service quality.

ADCCI continues to support the private sector by improving regulatory frameworks and facilitating open dialogue with policymakers. To date, it has formed 15 working groups comprising business leaders to identify challenges and collaboratively develop practical solutions across key industries.

It has published 364 economic reports to support decision-making and held 10 workshops attended by over 1,000 private sector representatives to help the business community better understand legal and commercial opportunities.

ADCCI’s work is closely aligned with the objectives of Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Economy and supports wider national economic goals through targeted support for SMEs, exporters, and investors. Its 2025–2028 roadmap, developed in close collaboration with the private sector, guides ADCCI’s efforts to provide key market insights and access to investment opportunities. Through its roadmap, ADCCI will continue to strengthen capacity building and contribute to the sustainable and inclusive growth of Abu Dhabi’s economy.