The Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority (ADRA), under the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), has reported significant growth in business licences and compliance indicators across the emirate’s mainland and non-financial economic free zones for 2024.
New economic licences on Abu Dhabi’s mainland rose 16% year-on-year, reflecting sustained efforts to attract local and international businesses through a business-friendly environment and transparent governance. Active licences in the mainland increased by 9% compared to 2023, while the number of renewed licences grew by 27%.
In non-financial economic free zones, active licences expanded by 22%, driven by policy initiatives to improve compliance with international standards and enhance economic competitiveness. The emirate processed 47,291 Real Beneficiary requests, indicating the effectiveness of compliance initiatives.
Freelancer licences saw a 104% surge, growing from 1,013 in 2023 to 2,065 in 2024. Licences issued to Emiratis rose by 371%, while licences for other nationalities increased by 20% to 107%. The Freelancer licence allows UAE nationals and residents with specialised skills to operate across over 100 economic activities at minimal cost, aligning with Abu Dhabi’s push toward a knowledge-based economy.
Mobdea licences, issued exclusively to Emirati women to turn creative endeavours into businesses without requiring physical premises, grew 72%, increasing from 1,456 in 2023 to 2,503 in 2024. The licences cover over 50 economic activities.
Tajer Abu Dhabi licences also posted strong growth, with 7,187 licences issued in 2024, a 20% increase from 5,989 in 2023. Initially covering just 30 activities when launched in 2017, the Tajer category has expanded to include more than 1,200 activities, allowing entrepreneurs and SMEs to operate without physical premises for the first three years.
