Dubai Tops Greenfield FDI Rankings for Fourth Year, India Drives Investments In 2024

In 2024, Dubai ranked No. 1 globally for Greenfield FDI projects, capital, and jobs created in key sectors, including consumer goods, industrial, transportation or warehousing, food and beverages, tourism, cybersecurity, and e-commerce.

The top five sectors by FDI capital included hotels and tourism (14%), real estate (14%), software and IT services (9.2%), building materials (9%), and financial services (6.8%). In terms of FDI projects, business services (19.2%), food and beverages (16.5%), software and IT services (14.3%), textiles (9.6%), and consumer products (8.3%) led the way.

Dubai was also ranked No. 1 globally for attracting FDI projects in financial services, headquarters, real estate, and artificial intelligence. The city’s share of global Advanced Information Technologies, or AIT, FDI projects grew from 7.3% in 2023 to 8% in 2024, reinforcing its appeal as a top destination for tech-driven investments.

New Forms of Investments, or NFIs, increased by 23% in 2024, while reinvestments surged by 98%, highlighting sustained investor confidence. Venture capital-backed FDI rose by 39%, and mergers and acquisitions (M&As) increased by 8%.

Dubai’s FDI outlook for 2025 remains strong, with continued interest in high-tech and innovation-led sectors, as per the official Financial Times Ltd.’s ‘fDi Markets’ data.