ABU DHABI (WAM)
The Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD), the official authority for statistical data in the Emirate, has announced the implementation of a comprehensive revision and rebasing initiative for Abu Dhabi’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) time series.
The initiative reflects SCAD’s commitment to strengthening the quality, coherence, transparency, and international comparability of official economic statistics in line with evolving economic structures, improved data availability, and international statistical standards.
The revision is supported by major statistical and economic measurement initiatives undertaken in recent years, including the development of Supply and Use Tables and Input Output Tables, the latest population data as per the register-based census, the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES 2024), and continued enhancements to business and administrative statistical registers.
The initiative is further supported by the continued development of administrative, regulatory, and business data sources across the Emirate, including expanded institutional and free zone coverage through the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), improvements in economic activity profiling and business register quality, and the gradual expansion of available economic administrative datasets associated with the evolving national tax environment.
As part of this process, GDP estimates will be recalibrated to an updated base year to better reflect the current structure, scale, and dynamics of Abu Dhabi’s economy.
The revision initiative also supports broader national level alignment efforts aimed at strengthening consistency, comparability, and coherence across the UAE statistical system.
The work additionally contributes to preparatory efforts associated with future international statistical framework developments, including the forthcoming System of National Accounts 2025 (SNA 2025).
The enhancements are expected to improve both the level accuracy and sectoral distribution of GDP estimates, while strengthening consistency across related macroeconomic indicators and historical time series.
The work also supports improved measurement coverage across economic activities, including wholesale and retail trade, financial services, real estate, and segments of the non-observed and digitally enabled economy where internationally recommended methodologies continue to evolve.
Abdulla Gharib Alqemzi, Director-General of SCAD, said that the comprehensive revision of Abu Dhabi’s GDP time series reflects SCAD’s continued commitment to enhancing the quality, consistency, and international comparability of official statistics. The initiative builds on strengthened statistical infrastructure, broader data availability, and ongoing methodological enhancements across the Abu Dhabi Statistical System.
"The objective is to ensure that Abu Dhabi’s economic indicators continue to provide a robust and credible evidence base for policymakers, investors, researchers, and international institutions, while accurately reflecting the evolving structure and scale of the Emirate’s economy," he added.
SCAD noted that the revision process will be implemented in accordance with its approved statistical revision policy and internationally recognised statistical standards.
Methodological documentation will be published alongside the revised estimates, and historical series will be revised consistently where required to preserve comparability over time. Technical engagement with key stakeholders and data partners will continue throughout the implementation process.
SCAD also highlighted that ongoing advancements in data management, statistical integration, analytical technologies, and the Abu Dhabi Government’s broader AI native government transformation efforts are supporting improvements in the timeliness, consistency, quality assurance, and methodological validation of economic statistics production across the Emirate.
SCAD confirmed that the current published GDP series remains the official statistical reference until the revised estimates are formally released.