Dong Nai posts strong growth, making positive contribution to national GDP

By the end of the third quarter, Dong Nai was among the localities recording double-digit growth, with an impressive GRDP growth of 10.01% in the first nine months of 2026.

Prime Minister (PM) Le Minh Hung chairs the Government’s regular September 2026 meeting and an online conference with ministries, sectors and localities. Photo: chinhphu.vn

This is a notable result for Dong Nai, which has one of the country’s largest economies and ranks fourth nationwide in terms of GRDP. The larger the economy, the greater the effort required to sustain a high growth rate.

Among the country’s top-performing cities

Government data showed that by the end of the third quarter, 12 of the 34 localities had recorded double-digit growth. Dong Nai posted growth of 10.01% in the first nine months, while its third-quarter growth reached 10.21%, significantly higher than the national rate of 9.01%.

Among the country’s nine centrally governed cities, Dong Nai was among the top performers, with growth of 10.21% in the third quarter and 10.01% in the first nine months. The city ranked fifth in terms of growth in both periods.

Meanwhile, national GDP is estimated to have grown by 9.95% in the third quarter and 9.01% in the first nine months. Dong Nai’s third-quarter growth was therefore 0.26 percentage points higher than the national rate, while its nine-month growth exceeded the national figure by 1 percentage point.

Long Thanh International Airport is expected to officially begin operations in December 2026. Photo: Cong Nghia

Speaking at the conclusion of the Government’s regular September 2026 meeting and an online conference with localities on the morning of October 3, PM Le Minh Hung praised localities, particularly major cities such as Dong Nai, for achieving relatively high economic growth in the third quarter and making an important contribution to national growth. Dong Nai was among the few cities to maintain relatively strong growth during the first nine months of the year.

Industry and construction remain key growth drivers, supporting investment and trade

Dong Nai’s double-digit growth was driven by multiple sectors, with industry and construction playing the leading role, while trade, services and investment also continued to expand. Industry and construction remained the main drivers of economic growth in the first nine months of the year.

Phuoc An Port, one of Dong Nai’s potential new growth poles.

Construction continued to stand out as a major contributor. Construction output in the first nine months was estimated at around VND101.549 trillion, up 19.75%, with third-quarter output alone rising 28.69%. The result was associated with progress in implementing transport infrastructure, urban upgrading, social housing, commercial and educational projects across the city.

Beyond industrial production, Dong Nai’s economy is also benefiting from total social investment of around VND142.922 trillion in the first nine months, up 11.79%. Of this, non-State investment increased by 14.68%, while FDI rose by 9.82%. Registered FDI from the beginning of the year through September 30 reached around USD2.5 billion, mainly targeting manufacturing and processing, supporting industries and logistics.

Trade and services also maintained solid growth. Total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue in the first nine months were estimated at more than VND344.178 trillion, up 17.44%. Accommodation and food services increased by 20.1%, while travel services rose by 15.4%.

These developments show that Dong Nai’s growth is increasingly being driven by a combination of industrial production, infrastructure development, investment, trade and services, rather than relying on a single growth engine.

According to the Ministry of Finance’s data on public investment disbursement, as of September 30, six ministries and central agencies and 19 localities had disbursement rates above the national average. Among these 19 localities, Dong Nai had disbursed more than 68.7% of the capital plan assigned by the Prime Minister, placing it among the localities with the highest public investment disbursement rates nationwide.

What is driving Dong Nai’s strong growth?

Dong Nai’s strong economic performance reflects a combination of strategic and coordinated factors.

Long Thanh Interchange connects the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway with the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau Expressway.

The first factor is the Government’s decisive and flexible leadership and management. Macroeconomic policies, efforts to remove institutional bottlenecks, administrative reforms and measures to promote public investment at the central level have helped create a transparent business environment and unlock local growth resources.

Equally important is the leadership and direction of the City Party Committee (CPC) and the People’s Committee. The CPC has taken a hands-on and decisive approach, while the City People’s Committee, departments and agencies have proactively addressed issues to ensure effective administrative operations. The spirit of “dare to think, dare to act and dare to take responsibility,” together with a commitment to working closely with residents and businesses, has been instrumental in removing procedural and site-clearance bottlenecks.

Another important factor is the resilience of the business community. Amid unpredictable global economic developments, businesses in Dong Nai have proactively restructured, accelerated digital transformation and the green transition, and improved labour productivity to adapt to the new environment.

The expansion of export markets and Dong Nai’s strategic location and strong trade connectivity are also important factors. In particular, Long Thanh International Airport is expected to officially begin operations in December 2026, while the completion of seaport infrastructure, including Phuoc An Port, is expected to mark a major turning point, helping transform Dong Nai into an international-class logistics hub and airport city.

Cao Dang Vien, Head of the Dong Nai Statistics Office, said that although the road ahead remains challenging amid inflationary pressures and fluctuations in global markets, Dong Nai’s strong foundations and proactive approach provide a solid basis for the city to pursue its target of double-digit economic growth for 2026.

By K. An – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha