Dubai just approved its largest budget ever: 5 key points you need to know

Dubai: Dubai has locked in the biggest multi-year budget in its history, setting the financial direction for the emirate from 2026 to 2028. The plan outlines major spending priorities, ambitious economic goals, and a commitment to long-term fiscal discipline.

Here are the key numbers defining how the next phase of Dubai’s growth will be financed:

1. Historic 3-year budget

• Record Dh302.7 billion in planned expenditure for 2026–2028.

• Projected revenues of Dh329.2 billion, an all-time high.

• Expected operating surplus equal to up to 5% of projected 2026 GDP.

• These figures mark Dubai’s largest multi-year budget cycle to date and show its scale.

2. Dh100b set aside for 2026

• Dh99.5 billion allocated for 2026 spending.

• Revenues expected at Dh107.7 billion, including Dh5 billion in general reserves.

• Core priorities include health, education, culture, housing, and infrastructure.

3. People-centric spending

• 28% of spending goes to social development—covering health, education, housing, seniors, retirees, youth, and people of determination.

• 18% is directed to security, justice, and safety.

• 48% funds infrastructure, including roads, bridges, tunnels, public transport, parks, renewable energy, and waste management.

• 6% supports development initiatives focused on performance and innovation.

• This distribution shows where the government sees the most immediate impact.

4. Strongest ever finances

• Department of Finance forecasts an operating surplus equal to up to 5% of projected 2026 GDP across the budget cycle.

• For 2026 alone, the surplus is estimated at 22% of total government revenues.

• Strong surpluses indicate resilience against future economic uncertainty.

• They also support steady long-term planning across all government sectors.

5. Clear long-term direction

• The 2026–2028 cycle aligns directly with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the Dubai Plan 2033, both of which prioritise long-term economic expansion and sectoral competitiveness.

• The government describes the cycle as supporting a shift toward knowledge-driven and innovation-led growth, with emphasis on the digital economy and future-focused sectors.

• Leadership highlights that the cycle is designed to expand opportunities for local entrepreneurship, creating a high-growth environment across key economic sectors.

• The fiscal approach aims to enhance Dubai’s appeal to global investors and innovators, supporting the emirate’s position as a destination for advanced industries and high-value economic activity.

• The three-year framework also aims to reinforce economic stability through prudent fiscal policies, supporting sustainable growth while maintaining competitiveness.