meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Companies confirm Saudi gigaproject slowdown

11 September 2024

 

Companies working on Saudi Arabia’s gigaprojects have expressed concerns about the pace of development in the kingdom despite increased levels of contract awards this year. 

The concerns demonstrate how Saudi Arabia’s gigaprojects programme and the marketing hype it has generated risks falling short of market expectations in spite of delivering solid progress with contract awards. 

Companies in Saudi Arabia have reported a noticeable slowdown in activity on the kingdom’s gigaprojects programme this year. 

During MEED’s webinar on Saudi Arabia’s projects market in late August, attendees were asked: “Have you seen a noticeable slowdown in activity on the gigaprojects programme this year?”. Of the 362 respondents, 72% reported a slowdown, 19% said that activity levels are roughly the same, and 10% reported an increase in activity. 

The poll results reflect a significant change in sentiment towards the Saudi market since the start of this year. In January, attendees of another MEED webinar on the Saudi projects market were asked if they anticipated more contract awards in 2024 than in 2023. Over 92% answered that they expected more awards in 2024, building on the record numbers registered in 2023, when there were $44.5bn of contract awards in the kingdom across all sectors. 

Since January, there have been reports on how the delivery of The Line at Neom will be phased, as well as rephasing exercises for other projects as budgets come under strain. These exercises followed comments from the Finance Ministry at the end of last year, which admitted that some projects will be slowed down as the government manages its finances more tightly.

The perceived slowdown in activity on the gigaprojects expressed in August is also reflected by data from regional projects tracker MEED Projects. During August this year, no contract awards were recorded on the kingdom’s five official gigaprojects: Diriyah, Neom, Qiddiya, Roshn and the projects being developed by Red Sea Global.

The total value of contracts awarded by the gigaproject developers in August 2023 was $587m, which suggests the performance in August this year was not just a result of a typical seasonal summer slowdown. 

The lack of contract awards for the gigaprojects in August bucks the otherwise positive trend for the year. By the end of August, there had been $14bn of contract awards in 2024 compared to $9bn during the same period in 2023, representing a 55% increase on last year. The total registered by the end of August this year is close to achieving the $15.8bn total registered for the full 12 months of 2023.

Major awards this year have included the $4.7bn contract to build dams at Trojena that was won by Italy’s WeBuild and a $2bn contract won by a joint venture of local firm Albawani and Qatari contractor Urbacon Trading & Contracting for the construction of assets in the Wadi Safar development of the Diriyah project in Riyadh. An estimated $1bn design-and-build contract was also secured by a joint venture of local firm El-Seif Engineering Contracting, Egyptian contractor Hassan Allam Construction and Beijing-headquartered China Harbour Engineering Company to deliver infrastructure and building works for Terminal 1 of the port at the Oxagon industrial city development in Neom.

Wider market

The broader Saudi projects market has followed a similar trajectory. By the end of August this year, there had been $72bn of contract awards compared to $44.5bn of contract awards during the same period of 2023. During August 2024, there were $14bn of contract awards, and if the market replicates this performance again, it will have already outperformed the $86bn total recorded for all of 2023. 

Major highlights include the National Housing Company (NHC) signing an agreement with Beijing-headquartered China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) to construct 20,000 housing units for projects being developed by NHC. Another major signing was the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) awarding a SR4bn ($1bn) design-and-build contract to upgrade the Wadi Laban cable bridge to the joint venture of Turkish contracting firm IC Ictas and Riyadh-based Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.

Outside of the construction sector, Saudi Aramco has awarded billions of dollars worth of contracts for major projects such as the third phase of the kingdom’s Master Gas System and the Fadhili gas plant. 

For some contractors, it is not the volume of work being awarded that is the main issue but rather the pace at which contracts are awarded.

“We were rushed to submit bids for a major project before the end of last year. There have been changes to the scope and clarifications, but ultimately, there is still no decision on a contract award,” says an international contractor working in Saudi Arabia. 

Payments are another perennial concern for companies working on projects in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC. Despite the buoyant market conditions, most companies still say that getting paid on time is a problem. During the MEED webinar in August, attendees were asked if their companies were being paid on time for work on projects in the GCC. Of the 382 respondents, 64% said they were not being paid on time, while 36% said they were being paid on time. 

While contractors remain optimistic about the volume of work planned in Saudi Arabia, the slowdown in spending is forcing a shift in contractors’ bidding strategies.

“Saudi Arabia is booming,” says an international contractor working in the kingdom. “A lot of oil and gas projects are moving forward, but for the civil construction, we have noticed a slowdown and some challenges with cashflow. We expect this trend to continue, and to avoid these problems, we will focus our efforts on the revenue-generating projects.”

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/12499188/main.gif
Colin Foreman

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Chinese firm wins $265m Saudi hospital contract

    24 June 2026

    Zhejiang Construction International, the local subsidiary of Chinese contractor Zhejiang Construction Investment Group, has won a $265m contract to build the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd University Speciality Hospital in Al-Khobar.

    Construction is expected to take three years from the start date.

    Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd University awarded the contract.

    Located in Al-Raja district, Al-Khobar, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, the hospital project will cover about 60,000 square metres.

    The contract covers the construction of a 10-storey hospital building, two five-storey auxiliary buildings connected by corridors and a basement.

    Work will include civil works, mechanical and electrical installation, curtain walling, landscaping, detailed design and the procurement of medical equipment.

    The award is the latest in a series of contracts secured by Chinese contractors from Saudi entities in recent months.

    Last week, MEED reported that Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Municipalities & Housing awarded contracts worth more than SR1.9bn ($506m) to Chinese contractors for two residential developments in the kingdom.

    China Architectural Construction Corporation won the first contract, valued at SR875m ($233m), to build 2,010 housing units at the Al-Ruba residential project in Riyadh.

    China State Construction Engineering Corporation secured the other contract, valued at more than SR1bn ($266m), for the Al-Rasha Al-Faisaliah residential project in Dammam, comprising 2,426 housing units.

    GlobalData expects Saudi Arabia’s construction industry to record average annual growth of 5.2% in 2025-28, supported by investments in transport, electricity, housing and tourism infrastructure, as well as the $850bn-plus gigaprojects programme.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17412846/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Kuwait extends deadline for $718m drainage tender

    24 June 2026

     

    Kuwait’s Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has extended the deadline for a major drainage tender estimated to be worth about KD222m ($718m).

    The new bid submission deadline is 19 July.

    The tender scope covers the construction of rainwater drainage networks across the residential areas of Sabah Al-Ahmad, South Sabah Al-Ahmad, Al-Khairan and Al-Wafra.

    The MPW floated the tender on 22 March. The most recent deadline was 21 June.

    According to regional projects tracker MEED Projects, the works include the construction of a major concrete sewer, three collection basins and extensive stormwater drainage basins.

    Rainwater collection tanks will be connected through an independent network, with outlets to the sea via the Nuwaiseeb exit to manage overflow.

    The infrastructure will also filter pollutants such as oils, minerals and sediments to protect water quality and support environmental sustainability.

    The project aims to reduce surface runoff, prevent street and urban flooding, and improve groundwater recharge.

    Kuwait’s MPW currently has several contracts out for tender for infrastructure works across various parts of the country.

    Also, in March, the client released two additional tenders covering the construction of a treated water system in Kuwait’s southern region and another in Kuwait’s northern region.

    Bids for both projects are due by 28 June.

    Meanwhile, the MPW is planning to begin construction of the $3.3bn North Kabd sewage treatment plant, which has a planned capacity of up to 1 million cubic metres a day.

    China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) won the contract to build the plant earlier this year.

    > Be recognised among the best in the industry at the MEED Projects Awards 2026 …

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17411675/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Contractor wins Emaar Dubai Harbour project deal

    24 June 2026

     

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Local construction firm Al-Sahel Contracting Company has won a contract to build The Bristol Luxury Hotels & Resorts project in Dubai.

    The contract was awarded by local real estate developer Emaar Properties.

    The Bristol Luxury Hotels & Resorts is located at Emaar Beachfront in Dubai Harbour.

    The project comprises a 54-storey mixed-use building with about 150 hotel keys and 227 one- to four-bedroom apartments.

    Enabling works have been completed by local firm Dutch Foundation.

    Dubai-based Mirage Leisure & Development is the project’s consultant.

    Construction is expected to be completed by 2028.

    The contract award follows Emaar’s appointment of Dubai-based Aroma International Building Contracting to build the Address Grand Downtown tower.

    The award also comes shortly after Emaar reported strong operating momentum in 2025, led by record property sales of AED80.4bn ($21.9bn), up 16% year on year.

    The company’s revenue backlog from property sales rose to AED155bn ($42bn), supporting visibility on future revenue recognition.

    Total revenue for 2025 reached AED49.6bn ($13.5bn), a 40% year-on-year increase. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation grew 33% to AED25.6bn ($7bn), while net profit before tax rose 36% to AED25.7bn ($7bn).

    Emaar’s platform continued to support performance across property development, malls, hospitality, leisure and international operations.

    > Be recognised among the best in the industry at the MEED Projects Awards 2026 …

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17411104/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Saudi Arabia launches new mineral exploration licensing round

    24 June 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry & Mineral Resources (MIMR) has launched its tenth round of a mineral exploration licensing competition, qualifying 24 local and international companies and consortiums to participate.

    The exploration opportunities offered under Round 10 cover about 13,000 square kilometres across the regions of Medina, Mecca, Riyadh, Qassim and Hail. They encompass several highly prospective mineralised belts that are said to contain significant deposits of gold, copper, silver, zinc and nickel.

    One of the key areas offered in the round is the Nabithah-Ad Duwayhi (Dahlat Shabeb) Belt, which hosts the Ad-Duwayhi Mine, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest gold-producing operations, with annual production of approximately 180,000 ounces of gold.

    Other notable exploration zones include the Sukhaybarat-Al-Safra Belt, recognised for its gold and base metals potential and home to the Sukhaybarat and Bulghah mining operations, as well as the Al-Nuqrah Belt, known for substantial gold resources and volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralisation rich in copper and zinc.

    According to MIMR, 17 companies that previously qualified under Round 9 have retained their eligibility, while seven additional companies and consortiums successfully completed the Round 10 prequalification process.

    The newly qualified bidders in Round 10 are:

    • Anaam Al-Qarat for Trading / Sahara Mining Company consortium
    • Danakali / Masadar Al-Zamarda for Mining consortium
    • Power Metallic Mines 
    • PT ANTAM Tbk
    • Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden)
    • Thurb Al-Hayya for Trading Company
    • Wildsky Resources

    The previously qualified participants from Round 9 are:

    • Al-Ghazal Al-Arabi Mining Company
    • Almasar Minerals Holding
    • Al-Tasnim Enterprises
    • Aurum Global Group
    • Batin Al-Ard for Gold Company
    • China National Geological and Mining Corporation
    • DesertEx 
    • Eqleed-Indotan Mining Company
    • Helderberg 
    • Jacaranda Minerals
    • Midana Exploration
    • Royal Road Arabia
    • Saudi Gold Refinery 
    • Sierra Nevada Gold
    • Sun Peak Metals
    • The Distinguished Consortium Mining Company
    • Vedanta 

    In a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, MIMR said exploration licence competitions are conducted through a structured three-stage process designed to ensure transparency, competitiveness and equal opportunity for all participants.

    The process begins with prequalification assessments covering technical expertise and financial capability, followed by a site-selection phase through the ministry’s digital mining platform, Taadeen. Where multiple bidders compete for the same exploration site, the process advances to a public, multi-round bidding stage, with licences awarded based on exploration expenditure commitments and predefined evaluation criteria.

    The next phase of Round 10 will allow qualified bidders to select available exploration sites via the Taadeen platform, in accordance with established procedures that promote fair competition and enable companies to pursue opportunities aligned with their technical capabilities and investment strategies.

    ALSO READ: Aramco and Maaden seek to form joint venture

    “The continued participation of major international and regional mining companies reflects growing confidence in Saudi Arabia’s mining sector and the effectiveness of its transparent licensing framework,” MIMR said in its statement.

    Jarrah Aljarrah, a ministry spokesperson, said increasing participation in successive exploration licensing rounds demonstrates growing investor confidence in the kingdom’s mining ecosystem, supported by regulatory reforms, improved availability of geological data, transparent licensing mechanisms and a steadily expanding pipeline of exploration opportunities.

    Saudi Arabia’s metals and mining sector is pivotal to the country’s non-oil growth trajectory. Commercial exploitation of the kingdom’s mineral resource base – most of which remains untapped – is a key component of the Saudi Vision 2030 socio-economic transformation strategy.

    The kingdom took a first step towards realising the commercial potential of its mineral resources when it enacted the Mining Investment Law in 2021. Since the law came into effect, MIMR has awarded about 3,248 mining permits to local and foreign firms under its accelerated exploration initiative, including alone.

    Addressing the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh in January 2024, Bandar Alkhorayef, the kingdom’s minister of industry and mineral resources, said Saudi Arabia’s natural resources are worth $2.5tn – an increase of more than 90% compared to the 2016 estimate.

    This near-doubling of natural resource estimates – which exclude fossil fuels and include phosphate, gold and rare earths – is expected to provide a stimulus to the kingdom’s nascent mining industry.

    ALSO READ: Maaden mineral resources grow by 7.8 million ounces
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17398549/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Kuwait tenders oil manifold project

    24 June 2026

    State-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has tendered a contract to construct remote header manifolds and associated works in the southern and eastern regions of Kuwait.

    A meeting with prospective contractors has been scheduled for 21 July 2026, and bids are due to be submitted ahead of a deadline on 20 September 2026.

    Manifolds are devices used in the oil sector to divide the flow of liquids from a single source to several outlets, or to collect liquids, or vice versa.

    Previously, a project with a similar scope in the same region was awarded to the Kuwaiti contractor Al-Ghanim International General Trading & Contracting.

    In 2016, it signed a contract worth $435m to construct remote header manifolds and associated works in the south and east Kuwait areas.

    The scope of that contract included design, procurement, construction and commissioning of 25 remote manifold stations and associated pipelines in south and east Kuwait using multi-phase pumps to deliver liquids to gathering centres.

    Kuwait’s oil fields are connected to more than 25 gathering centres, which serve as collection points for crude oil produced by several wells connected by flowlines, providing initial treatment by separating associated gas and removing salt.

    READ THE JUNE 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    GCC looks beyond the Strait; Iraq’s reform window narrows as fiscal assumptions shatter; MEED Top 100 companies.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17409564/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp