Developing sustainable smart cities (SSCs) is crucial to modern urban growth, as recognised in various international policies and literature. With Abu Dhabi as a focus, this research aims to identify and evaluate the primary obstacles that hinder the creation of intelligent and sustainable cities. By categorising and ranking these barriers, the study seeks to prioritise the most significant hindrances to smart city development. The research analysed 31 barriers, classified them into six groups, and examined them through existing literature. Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders responsible for implementing the SSC strategy provided additional valuable insights. The study used the Partial Least Squares Path Modelling method to prioritise the selected barriers. The results showed that the most significant barriers to SSC development were in the Economic category, followed by Technology, Governance, Social, Legal, Ethical, and Environmental barriers. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and the Abu Dhabi government to eliminate obstacles that hinder SSC development initiatives. © 2024 The Authors. IET Smart Cities published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Institution of Engineering and Technology.