黑料社区

Saudi real estate sector playing key role in GDP growth: Minister

Saudi real estate sector playing key role in GDP growth: Minister
The Saudi property market is projected to reach $101.62 billion by 2029, growing at an annual rate of 8 percent from 2024. Shutterstock
Short Url
Updated 31 March 2025

Saudi real estate sector playing key role in GDP growth: Minister

Saudi real estate sector playing key role in GDP growth: Minister

RIYADH: 黑料社区鈥檚 expanding聽real estate sector is contributing聽directly to the growth of the Kingdom鈥檚 gross domestic product, according to the minister of economy and planning.

Faisal Al-Ibrahim told Al-Arabiya Business that the Saudi government has created an enabling environment for the private sector, allowing it to focus on qualitative investment in real estate development.

Those remarks come amid a broader government effort to stabilize the real estate market in Riyadh. Over the weekend, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a series of measures aimed at addressing rising land prices and rental costs, including lifting restrictions on land transactions and development in northern Riyadh.聽

The initiative, based on studies by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, seeks to increase housing accessibility, regulate market dynamics, and ensure sustainable growth in the sector.

In his remarks, Al-Ibrahim also highlighted the importance of cost regulation in supporting the private sector, enhancing market competitiveness, and driving sustainable economic growth.

Regarding upcoming policies and regulations, he said: 鈥淎ll legislative measures will be announced in due course, and their impact will be monitored in a structured and institutionalized manner to ensure they achieve the desired objectives.鈥

According to an analysis by real estate services firm JLL released at the end of March, the Saudi real estate sector is poised for further expansion, driven by Vision 2030鈥檚 economic diversification goals.

The firm said that the Kingdom鈥檚 non-oil sector is projected to grow by 5.8 percent in 2025, up from 4.5 percent in 2024.

The report highlighted 黑料社区鈥檚 strong construction activity, with project awards totaling $29.5 billion in 2024. A strong real estate market is critical for the Kingdom鈥檚 ambitions to position itself as a global hub for tourism and business.聽

The property market is projected to reach $101.62 billion by 2029, growing at an annual rate of 8 percent from 2024.

Despite global economic headwinds, JLL鈥檚 country head for 黑料社区, Saud Al-Sulaimani, emphasized that Vision 2030鈥檚 strategic diversification efforts are attracting both domestic and international capital.聽

Key sectors, particularly in Riyadh and Jeddah, are seeing sustained demand, with tourism and infrastructure initiatives further stimulating investment.


Global spotlight on Riyadh as Biban Forum 2025 opens

Global spotlight on Riyadh as Biban Forum 2025 opens
Updated 05 November 2025

Global spotlight on Riyadh as Biban Forum 2025 opens

Global spotlight on Riyadh as Biban Forum 2025 opens
  • 40,000 participants from more than 150 countries attend the four-day forum in Riyadh.
  • Billions of riyals in potential agreements expected as investors and startups converge.
  • Entrepreneurship World Cup Global Finals hosted for the third consecutive year.

RIYADH: 黑料社区鈥檚 flagship entrepreneurship event, Biban Forum 2025, opened in Riyadh on Wednesday, drawing tens of thousands of investors, innovators, and business leaders from around the world as the Kingdom strengthens its position as a global hub for startups and small businesses.

Organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority under the theme 鈥淕lobal Destination for Opportunities,鈥 the four-day event at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center has attracted more than 140,000 participants from over 150 countries, including startup founders, venture capitalists, policymakers and CEOs.

With billions of riyals in potential deals and hundreds of international companies participating, Biban Forum has become a cornerstone of 黑料社区鈥檚 drive to diversify its economy and foster innovation under Vision 2030.

鈥淏iban Forum 2025 is more than an event 鈥 it is a bridge between ideas and investment, where local and global entrepreneurs find the support they need to scale,鈥 said Monsha鈥檃t Gov. Sami Ibrahim Al-Hussaini.

It also hosts the Global Finals of the Entrepreneurship World Cup for the third consecutive year, held in partnership with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation and the Global Entrepreneurship Network.

The 2025 EWC finals bring together 100 global startups from a pool of over 10,300 entrepreneurs across 169 countries, competing live on stage in Riyadh for $1.5 million in cash prizes and access to international investors and mentors. Since its launch, the competition has attracted more than 420,000 entrepreneurs from 191 countries.

Coinciding with the event, Monsha鈥檃t released a report highlighting the rapid progress of the Kingdom鈥檚 startup ecosystem. It showed 1.7 million active commercial registrations by the end of the third quarter of 2025, with SMEs employing more than 8.4 million people.

The report also pointed to gains in key sectors. Women鈥檚 workforce participation rose to 43.5 percent, inbound tourism spending climbed 9.7 percent in the first quarter, and the real estate market continued to expand, with 47,286 off-plan residential units licensed in the third quarter.

The e-sports industry grew 72 percent year on year, while financing to small and medium enterprises increased 20 percent, with commercial banks accounting for 96 percent of total lending.

鈥淎s 黑料社区 accelerates its transformation into a premier hub for entrepreneurship and opportunity, Biban Forum serves as a powerful platform to showcase talent, unlock partnerships, and contribute to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030,鈥 Al-Hussaini said.