Ras Al Khaimah Department of Economic Development (RAKDED) has announced a significant uptick in commercial activity during the first quarter of 2025, with the number of new business licences issued rising by 15.6% compared to the same period last year. This marks the highest number of new licences issued in a single quarter since 2017.
Professional licences led the growth, making up 24.4% of all new licences, followed by industrial licences at 15.4%, and commercial licences at 8.9%. The total capital of new licences reached AED 286.8 million — a 27.8% increase from AED 224.4 million in Q1 2024, reports WAM. Notably, the capital associated with industrial licences saw a remarkable 7.7-fold jump to AED 25.5 million, compared to just AED 3.3 million during the same period last year.
Geographically, Khalifa Bin Zayed City accounted for the highest share of new licences at 9.9%, followed by Al Dahan with 7.5%, and Sidroh with 6.9%.
Amina Qahtan Al Shehhi, Director of the Commercial Affairs Department at RAKDED, attributed the growth to the emirate’s ongoing development in tourism and infrastructure. “The first quarter of this year witnessed the highest number of new licences issued since 2017, with a total of 644 licences, compared to 557 in the same period last year,” she said.
RAKDED’s latest data reinforces Ras Al Khaimah’s position as an increasingly attractive destination for business growth and investment in the UAE.
