Dubai targets 27,000 Emirati SMEs by 2033 with property-sector push

Dubai has launched a partnership between Dubai SME and the Dubai Land Department aimed at expanding Emirati participation in the emirate’s property sector and increasing the number of nationally supported small and medium-sized enterprises to 27,000 by 2033, a core target under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. The move is intended to scale national entrepreneurship from roughly 19,000 supported Emirati enterprises in 2024 and to integrate local firms into owners’ associations and core real estate operations.

“Inspired by our city’s visionary leadership, this partnership with Dubai Land Department reflects our commitment to embedding Emirati entrepreneurs more deeply within Dubai’s high-growth sectors, particularly real estate, which remains a cornerstone of the emirate’s economic diversification programme,” said Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, acting CEO of Dubai SME.

The agreement opens market access for Dubai SME members to opportunities across the property value chain, including community management, consultancy, contracting, facilities services and property operations, while strengthening structured engagement with developers. Officials framed the collaboration as a shift from limiting SME support to incubation and early-stage funding toward embedding SMEs within high-impact sectors.

Key components of the partnership

• Market access and structured matchmaking linking SMEs with developers.
• Specialised training programmes and awareness workshops to raise professional standards.
• Formal recognition for developers who actively support SME participation.
• Regulatory alignment through the Real Estate Regulatory Agency to strengthen compliance and readiness.

From the regulatory side, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency — the regulatory arm of Dubai Land Department — stressed enabling SMEs to operate within clear frameworks that support long-term sector participation. Eng. Abdullah Ahmed Al Shehhi, CEO of the Real Estate Regulatory Agency at Dubai Land Department, said: “This agreement underscores Dubai Land Department’s commitment to strengthening integration across government entities and expanding strategic partnerships that support the sustainable growth of Dubai’s real estate sector. We consider small and medium enterprises to be key contributors to the sector’s value chain, and we are keen to empower them to operate within a clear, enabling regulatory environment while enhancing their readiness to participate in a wide range of real estate activities.”

He added that the initiative “would also strengthen compliance standards and support the development of national capabilities in line with Dubai’s long-term property-sector roadmap.” Al Shehhi also noted: “We are also committed to providing regulatory and advisory frameworks that enhance compliance and support the development of national talent, in line with the objectives of the Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033, ultimately strengthening the market’s competitiveness and transparency.”

The agreement arrives as Dubai’s property market continues to show strong activity: in 2025 the sector recorded more than 270,000 transactions worth over Dh917 billion, a historic high. Momentum carried into 2026, with the first quarter alone generating approximately Dh252 billion across more than 60,000 transactions, while total investments reached about Dh173 billion. SMEs already account for more than 95 per cent of registered companies in Dubai, underscoring their role in employment, innovation and supply-chain development.

By tying SME development directly to the Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033 and the D33 agenda, policymakers aim to position Emirati entrepreneurs as central contributors to a more diversified, transparent and competitive property market, converting policy objectives into tangible commercial opportunities across the sector.