Abu Dhabi's building materials sector has posted a 95.4 percent compliance rate, according to the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), which inspected 414 businesses manufacturing and selling building materials in July 2026.
Of those inspected, 395 met all required conditions. The remaining cases drew four warnings for price increases without objective justification, along with 15 recorded violations for price hikes and failure to provide sales and purchase invoices.
Why building materials matter to Abu Dhabi's economy
Mohamed Munif Al Mansoori said building materials affect a wide range of activities, including real estate and other vital sectors, meaning greater market stability helps create an environment that supports economic growth and diversification.
He added that the authority remains committed to maintaining a business environment supported by advanced regulatory frameworks that balance business growth with the protection of consumers and trademarks, and said the high compliance rate among economic establishments reflects the continued development of Abu Dhabi's business ecosystem.
A pattern of stepped-up inspections
The July results follow a broader push by ADRA to tighten oversight across the emirate. In March 2026, the authority carried out 740 field visits spanning Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, which led to 416 warnings and 38 fines.
That activity builds on a sharp rise in inspection work through 2025, when ADRA ran 465 inspection campaigns, up 16.2 percent from 400 campaigns in 2024. Individual inspection visits more than doubled that year, climbing to 16,748 from 6,665, resulting in 104 violations and 294 warnings.
Consumer complaints formed another major part of ADRA's workload in 2025. The authority handled 31,759 complaints, resolving 83.5 percent amicably, covering goods valued at around AED28 million. Separately, counterfeit and non-compliant products seized during the year exceeded AED1.8 million in value, while breaches of consumer-protection laws resulted in 653 violations and 459 warnings.
Licensing growth points to a busier construction market
The compliance push comes as Abu Dhabi's construction and business licensing activity has expanded. New economic licenses rose 21 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while active licenses increased 12 percent. Growth in new licenses varied by region, up 58 percent in Al Ain, 28 percent in Al Dhafra and 18 percent in Abu Dhabi itself. Commercial licenses grew 20 percent in the quarter, and professional licenses jumped 193 percent.
Those gains follow a strong 2025, when new economic licenses rose 29 percent and active licenses increased 13.5 percent. By February 2026, more than 38,600 construction licenses were active in the emirate. New construction business registrations climbed 66 percent year on year in 2025, and active construction-sector members of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry rose 24.8 percent.