UAE’s Non-oil Trade Reaches $227.38 Billion in Q1-2025

H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday affirmed that the UAE, under the leadership of President H H Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade saw growth of 18.6% y-o-y in the first quarter of this year, reaching $227.38 billion (global average is 2%-3%).

The nation’s non-oil exports experienced exceptional growth, surging by 41% annually, he said in an

official release.

The UAE’s goal to grow non-oil foreign trade to $1.09 trillion by 2031 will be achieved within the next two years; four years ahead of schedule. In 2024, GDP grew by 4%, reaching $480 brillion, with the non-oil sector contributing 75.5% to the national economy.

His also emphasised that under the leadership of H H Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s economic growth is achieving unprecedented success. Indicators of social, economic, and strategic stability and prosperity are at their highest historical levels.

We are confident in an even brighter future, driven by the focused efforts of thousands of dedicated teams working to realize the UAE’s global ambitions.

UAE non-oil exports continued to achieve historical growth rates, recording $48.28 billion in Q1 of 2025, a 40.7% y-o-y increase compared with the corresponding period in Q1 of 2024, and a 15.7% q-o-q increase compared with Q4 of 2024.

This robust growth propelled non-oil exports to over 21% of the UAE’s total non-oil foreign trade for the first time in the nation’s history, outpacing the growth of both imports and re-exports.

Re-exports saw a 6% annual increase, reaching $51.49 billion. Imports grew by 17.2% y-o-y reaching $127.6 billion, but experienced a slight 1.7% decline compared with the previous quarter (Q4 of 2024).

Trade with the UAE’s top 10 trading partners continued to expand, growing by 20.2% in Q1 of 2025, compared with 16.9% growth with other countries. Trade with India grew by 31%, with Saudi Arabia by 127%, with Turkiye by 8.3% – surpassing previous records – and with China by 9.6%.

Real GDP Grows 4%

The UAE’s real gross domestic product (GDP) reached $483.62 billion in 2024, marking a 4% increase compared to that of 2023. The non-oil GDP grew by 5%, totalling $365.44 billion, while oil-related activities contributed $118.18 billion to the overall economy.

The UAE’s Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said that the latest GDP figures released by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) reflect a renewed and positive momentum in the national economy. They further underscore the new milestones achieved by the UAE in economic diversification and competitiveness, guided by the vision and directives of its wise leadership.

With non-oil sectors accounting for 75.5% of the UAE’s GDP by the end of last year, the Minister noted that these indicators reflect the sustained success of the nation’s economic strategies, which were driving the transition toward an innovative, knowledge-based, and sustainable economic model aligned with global trends and emerging technologies.