The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has signed a pioneering partnership with UAE e-commerce platform noon to accelerate the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the emirate. The agreement, sealed under the Dubai Traders programme and the broader Dubai Economic Agenda D33 — launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — signals a major push to place local businesses at the centre of the digital economy.
What the Dubai DET–noon SME E-Commerce Deal Covers
The partnership gives Dubai-based SMEs a structured on-ramp to online selling. Enrolled businesses receive dedicated onboarding support, personalised account management, access to workshops and sales-insight seminars, and advertising credit packages that boost product visibility on the noon platform. Sellers also benefit from prioritised placement and preferential access to noon's 15-minute quick-commerce delivery network — a powerful advantage in a market where fulfilment speed is a key competitive differentiator.
Emirati sellers gain an additional layer of support through noon's Mahali programme, which offers tailored guidance designed specifically to help local entrepreneurs build sustainable e-commerce businesses.
Leadership Statements
Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC) at DET, underscored the strategic importance of the tie-up: "SMEs are the backbone of Dubai's economy and a critical enabler to accelerate economic growth."
Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon, echoed the sentiment: "One of noon.com's core objectives has always been to empower local entrepreneurs and foster a vibrant e-commerce environment."
The agreement was signed in the presence of H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DET, and Mohamed Alabbar, Founder of noon — reflecting the high-level commitment on both sides.
Dubai Traders and the D33 Vision
Dubai Traders is one of ten transformative initiatives that form the backbone of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. Its mandate is the digitisation of SMEs — equipping them with the tools and marketplace presence needed to compete in local and international markets.
The noon partnership is a centrepiece of that effort, helping SMEs build branded online storefronts, digitise their supply chains, and tap into the demand of millions of noon shoppers across the UAE and beyond.
Since the programme's launch in September 2024, Dubai Traders has onboarded more than 2,400 new e-commerce sellers in its first twelve months, working with noon, Amazon, and other leading platforms — a milestone that demonstrates the initiative's early momentum.
Why This Partnership Matters for Dubai's Economy
The collaboration is a textbook example of government and private sector working in concert to sustain and scale Dubai's SME ecosystem. By combining DET's reach and policy framework with noon's logistics infrastructure and consumer base, the deal lowers the barriers to digital commerce for businesses that might otherwise struggle to navigate the complexities of e-commerce alone.
For Dubai's broader economic ambitions, a thriving SME sector is not optional — it is essential. The D33 agenda sets out to double the size of Dubai's economy by 2033, and SMEs are expected to be a primary engine of that growth.
