The UAE has emerged as the Gulf’s leading construction market by project volume, with 700 confirmed developments worth an estimated USD 138 billion, according to a new report from the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI).
The study found that the UAE leads the GCC in confirmed construction demand, supported by a broad pipeline of projects that are either under way or ready for execution. Saudi Arabia follows with 628 confirmed projects valued at USD 168 billion, while Oman ranks a distant third with 85 projects worth USD 19 billion.
In primary construction demand, however, Saudi Arabia remains ahead, with 78 major projects valued at USD 89.5 billion compared with the UAE’s 129 projects worth USD 50.1 billion.
The report highlights a significant transformation in Abu Dhabi’s construction sector, where value creation is increasingly shifting from traditional building activities towards advanced downstream construction systems. These include engineered mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) solutions, industrialized building methods, and integrated control systems designed to improve efficiency and project delivery.
The transition is being supported by wider adoption of modular and prefabricated construction, low-carbon building materials, artificial intelligence-enabled project management, and fully digital delivery models, reflecting broader global trends in infrastructure and industrial development.
ADCCI Director General Ali Mohamed Al Marzooqi said the emirate’s construction industry is becoming increasingly focused on integration, quality, and delivery certainty rather than simply project size.
He added that stronger private sector participation demonstrates growing confidence in Abu Dhabi’s evolving construction ecosystem and supports the emirate’s ambition to become a global hub for high-value construction and advanced manufacturing.
The sector’s expansion is also reflected in business activity. By February 2026, Abu Dhabi had more than 38,600 active construction licenses, while new business registrations increased by 66% in 2025 compared with the previous year. Active construction memberships also rose by nearly 25%, with new memberships recording a compound annual growth rate of almost 28% between 2019 and 2025.
The report also identifies growing export opportunities across the construction value chain, ranging from raw materials such as clay and limestone to manufactured components including ductwork, valves, switchgear, and power distribution systems.
Supported by improved digital permitting, industrial incentives, and sustainability-focused regulations, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself to compete internationally in high-performance construction systems.
ADCCI said the emirate’s strategic location, logistics network, and expanding industrial base are strengthening its role as a regional center for advanced construction as infrastructure investment across the Middle East and North Africa remains resilient.