UAE residents paid Dh27 billion in value-added tax (VAT) last year, surpassing the government’s target of collecting of Dh12 billion, an increase of 125 per cent. It even surpassed the goal of Dh20 billion VAT revenue collections for 2019.

The total VAT collection was also close to the UAE’s nine-month of surplus, which stood at Dh28 billion during the January-September 2018 period.

Analysts expect that VAT revenues will further increase in 2019 as companies analyse their incomes, expenses and IT systems to ensure that correct VAT has been paid. This, in turn, will help the government to increase its spending on the infrastructure and public welfare programmes.