UAE non-oil trade nears AED 2 trillion in H1 2026: what it means for warehouse demand

The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade reached AED 1.937 trillion in the first half of 2026, up 13.1% on the same period of 2025, according to figures announced by the Dubai Media Office in July. Non-oil exports hit a record AED 452.8 billion, up 23.9% year on year, and rose to 23.4% of total trade.

China remained the UAE’s largest non-oil trading partner at AED 180.7 billion, followed by Switzerland and India.

Why this matters for industrial property

Every container that comes through the UAE’s ports needs somewhere to go: a bonded store, a distribution centre, an industrial unit or a trade counter. Trade volumes are one of the most direct drivers of demand for warehouse and industrial space, and three parts of this data stand out.

Exports are growing faster than trade overall. A rising share of non-oil exports means more goods are being made, assembled or processed in the UAE, not just passing through. That supports demand for production space as well as storage, in line with the national push to grow manufacturing under Operation 300bn.

The growth is sustained, not a one-off. The half-year total is 39.6% above the first half of 2024 and 78.8% above the first half of 2022. Businesses planning their space over the length of a lease are responding to that trend, not to one strong quarter.

Re-exports keep the UAE at the centre of regional trade. Distribution to the Gulf, Africa and South Asia depends on well-located logistics space close to Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port and Khorfakkan, and on the road and rail corridors that connect them.

The JP8 view

Strong trade figures don’t automatically mean every warehouse will be full. New supply is arriving in Dubai, and businesses have more choice than they did a year ago. What the data does support is demand for the right space: buildings in the right corridors, sized for the businesses that actually need them, and built to keep running costs down in the UAE heat.

That is where we focus, including the smaller, well-built units that many growing traders and manufacturers still struggle to find.

Planning space in the UAE and want to talk it through? Get in touch.