Dubai ruler signs off on the emirate’s largest-ever three-year budget: Dubai Ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved a record AED 302.7 bn budget for the emirate covering 2026-2028, marking the largest budget cycle in the emirate’s history, according to Dubai Media Office. The government projects AED 329.5 bn in revenues and AED 302.7 bn in expenditures during this period — which would net an operational surplus of 5%.

For 2026: Projected expenditure for FY 2026 is AED 99.5 bn, with revenues expected to total AED 107.7 bn. The final spending plan sets out a 15.4% y-o-y increase in expenditure compared to 2025’s budget of AED 86.26 bn.

The budget allocates 48% of spending to infrastructure, with projects including roads, tunnels, bridges, transportation systems, sewage stations, parks, renewables facilities, and a rainwater drainage network. Some 28% of spending will go toward social development, while security, justice, and public safety will get 18%, and the government’s development initiatives 6%.

REMEMBER- The UAE cabinet also greenlit its largest ever federal budget for 2026 last month. The budget sets out a 29.2% y-o-y increase in both expenditure and revenues compared to 2025’s budget — up to AED 92.4 bn from AED 71.5 bn.

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