Meed | MEED’s 2023 top 10 GCC contractors

MEED’s 2023 top 10 GCC contractors

28 March 2023

> Improved outlook for the Gulf region’s construction market is not reflected in the 2023 contractor ranking

> Nesma & Partners retains its position as the most active GCC contractor, but its total value of work this year is down 22 per cent on 2022

> Part two of this report, Top 10 GCC contractors by country, can be accessed here

The GCC’s construction market is back. After enduring half a decade of low oil prices and capital spending cuts, the region is back with a new generation of ambitious projects that are attracting global attention.

Dubai may have led previous boom periods with its palm-shaped islands and record-breaking towers, but this time it is Saudi Arabia that is taking the lead with 170-kilometre-long mirrored structures, 400-metre-cubed buildings and, if the plans are approved, a 2-kilometre-tall tower that will be more than twice the height of the current world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

As the hype builds, the excitement is yet to be reflected in MEED’s contractor ranking for 2023.

Using data from regional projects tracker MEED Projects, the region’s most active contractor, based on contracts under execution, is Nesma & Partners. While the Saudi firm has retained its position as the most active contractor, its total value of work in 2023 is $5.3bn, down 22 per cent on the $6.8bn of work under execution that it topped the ranking with in 2022.

Further falls

Last year’s second-ranked contractor has fallen even further. Saudi Binladin Group was working on $6.5bn of projects at the execution stage in 2022. In 2023, this has dropped to $4bn, and as the firm’s work on the expansion of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is completed, it may not figure in the ranking in the future.

Last year’s third-ranked contractor has also slid down the rankings. In 2022, India’s Shapoorji Pallonji was working on $5.6bn of projects at the execution stage. This year it is working on $2.9bn.

Altogether five of the top 10 contractors in the GCC this year have less work than they did last year. If an average of the top 10 is taken, then the number in 2023 has fallen 18 per cent to $3.6bn from $4.4bn last year.

The five firms that have grown their totals are newcomers to the top 10 this year, the highest-ranked of which is Turkiye’s Limak.

The contractor’s main project in the GCC is the new terminal building at Kuwait International airport, and a Turkish firm’s presence at number two may be a sign of things to come. After settling political differences with Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2022, Turkish companies are expected to play a key role in delivering Saudi Arabia’s growing roster of major projects.

Riyadh, like Neom, will be an important market for contractors over the coming decade

The other newcomers to the top 10 are three Saudi firms, Alfanar, Almabani and Saudi Baytur; and China Harbour Engineering Construction.

Alfanar’s position in the ranking is mostly due to the contract it won to deliver and operate five clusters of community villages on a public-private partnership basis at Neom. That project shows the scale of the Neom schemes that are moving into construction and signals that firms working on the development will perform well in future rankings.

Almabani has been able to secure major contracts on projects in its domestic market. The most recent is the estimated $1.9bn contract that it won this year to deliver the Zone 6 infrastructure works for the Sports Boulevard project that is being developed by the Royal Commission of Riyadh City.

Riyadh, like Neom, will be an important market for contractors over the coming decade. The city has plans to double in size and major projects that have been launched so far include King Salman airport, New Murraba, Dirriyah Gate, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City, Sports Boulevard, King Salman Park and Qiddiya Entertainment City.

China Harbour has built its orderbook with project wins in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and is now the second Chinese firm in the top 10.

The final newcomer is Saudi Arabian Baytur. While it has historical Turkish links, it has been operating as a wholly-Saudi-owned company since 2016.

A significant trend in the GCC ranking is the meagre showing from western contractors

Ranking departures

The five companies that have left the top 10 this year are Qatar’s Urbacon Trading & Contracting Company, Saudi Arabia’s ABV Rock, Kuwait’s Sayed Hamid Behbehani & Sons, Beijing-based China Railway Construction Company and Kuwait’s Mohammed Abdulmohsin al-Kharafi & Sons.

Urbacon’s departure may be short-lived. The firm has experienced a sharp decline in the total value of its projects at the execution stage this year following the completion of projects in the domestic Qatari market ahead of last year’s World Cup.

As construction activity remains slow in Qatar the firm has begun expanding overseas and this year has secured significant orders from Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven) for the construction of entertainment centres in Saudi Arabia.

China Railway’s departure may also be temporary. It has completed work on the UAE’s federal Etihad Rail network, which resulted in it dropping out of the top 10 this year. It may return if it is able to secure work on the raft of regional rail projects that are moving towards the construction phase.

One other significant trend in the GCC ranking is the meagre showing from western contractors. The only western firm in the top 10 this year is Italy’s Webuild, which has $4.5bn of work at the execution stage.

With most western contractors continuing to exercise caution when approached to bid on projects in the GCC, it is unlikely that this trend will change in the near future.

Looking ahead to next year’s ranking, Nesma will be a strong contender for the top spot again. In February, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) confirmed that it has invested $1.3bn in four local construction companies to support the handling of projects in the kingdom.

Nesma was one of the firms that the PIF acquired shares in, along with AlBawani Holding Company, Almabani General Contractors Company and El-Seif Engineering Contracting Company.

The PIF said the investment will allow the firms to scale up their capacity, adopt advanced technologies and improve local supply chains.

At a time when many contractors in the region are still struggling with financial issues, these companies will now be well placed to play a leading role in the rapidly growing Saudi market. As major contract awards are secured over the next year, these firms will likely also be leading the ranking in 2024.

Top 10 GCC contractors by country

MEED's April 2023 special report on Saudi Arabia includes:

> ECONOMY: Riyadh steps up the Vision 2030 tempo

> CONSTRUCTION: Saudi construction project ramp-up accelerates

> UPSTREAM: Aramco slated to escalate upstream spending

> DOWNSTREAM: Petchems ambitions define Saudi downstream

> POWER: Saudi Arabia reinvigorates power sector

> WATER: Saudi water begins next growth phase

> BANKING: Saudi banks bid to keep ahead of the pack

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Colin Foreman

Exclusive from Meed

Tender issued for Libyan gas project
17 September 2026
Nakheel awards $218m Dubai Islands buildings deal
17 September 2026
Aldar and Mubadala acquire Masdar City Square
17 September 2026
Dubai announces new 80km highway corridor
16 September 2026
Contractors submit Expo 2030 convention centre interest
16 September 2026

Tender issued for Libyan gas project
17 September 2026
An invitation to bid has been issued for a contract to conduct environmental assessments for the project to expand the Mellitah oil and gas complex in Libya.

The bid submission deadline is 2pm today (17 September) Libyan time.

The scope of the project includes provision of:
- An environmental baseline study (EBS)
- An environmental impact assessment (EIA)
- An environmental management plan (EMP)
The client is Mellitah Oil & Gas (MOG), which is a joint venture of Italy’s Eni and Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC).

MOG is based in Tripoli and operates both onshore and offshore oil and gas facilities.

The joint venture owns and operates six major oil and gas fields across the North African country.

According to the tender documents, the company that is awarded the contract will need to prepare environmental management measures in compliance with:
- Libyan environmental legislation
- Ministry of Environment requirements
- NOC environmental guidelines
- Applicable international environmental standards and best practices
The expansion of the Mellitah oil and gas complex is part of a project estimated to be worth $8bn.

The wider project is known as the Mellitah Complex Expansion & CO2 Management Integrated Development Project.

It has six main packages:
- Onshore package
- Offshore Structure A
- Offshore Structure E
- Subsea pipeline package
- Site preparation work
- Carbon capture and storage facility
Security issues and political instability have been a major problem for Libya’s oil and gas sector since the country’s civil war started in 2011.

Earlier this month, the Mellitah oil and gas complex was forced to shut down temporarily due to a protest over deteriorating public services.

The existing onshore complex includes housing, processing units, storage facilities and export facilities.

It also serves as the launch point for the Greenstream pipeline, which delivers Libyan gas directly to Italy.

The planned expansion of the complex will involve:
- Construction of a new fourth gas processing train
- Construction of a third condensate train
- Construction of a third natural gas liquids fractionation train
- Construction of a fourth sulphur recovery unit train
- Installation of a hydrogen sulphide enrichment unit
- Installation of a sulphur recovery unit
- Construction of other associated facilities
The Mellitah complex is located about 100 kilometres west of Tripoli and is a key energy facility in the west of the country.
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Wil Crisp

Nakheel awards $218m Dubai Islands buildings deal

17 September 2026

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Dubai-based developer Nakheel, now part of Dubai Holding, has awarded a main construction contract worth more than AED800m ($218m) for phases one and three of Bay Grove Residences at Dubai Islands.

The contract was awarded to the local firm Metac General Contracting Company.

It covers the construction of 537 apartments, comprising one- to four-bedroom units, across seven residential buildings.

Phase one includes 296 units in four buildings, while phase three comprises 241 units across three buildings.

The works are scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Bay Grove Residences will ultimately comprise 1,154 homes across 15 buildings. Planning is under way for the remaining 617 homes in phases two and four, with further contract awards expected.

In August last year, Nakheel awarded a AED2.6bn ($708m) contract to Abu Dhabi-based Fibrex Contracting to build the Bay Villas project at Dubai Islands. The contract includes constructing 636 villas.

In April this year, another AED527m ($143m) contract was awarded to local firm Al-Nasr Contracting Company to construct the primary infrastructure and utilities works on Island B at the development.

The Dubai Islands development consists of five islands spanning 18.6 square kilometres. It features more than 59 kilometres (km) of waterfront and 20km of beaches, as well as parks, golf courses, promenades and cycling paths.

The offshore island project gained renewed momentum in 2022, when Nakheel unveiled a new masterplan and rebranded it as Dubai Islands.

The reclaimed islands were originally part of the Palm Deira project, which was partially completed before being put on hold in 2008.

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

Nuclear power ambitions gather pace; Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive despite war; Region invests in raising gas processing capacity.

Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the September 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

> AGENDA: Gulf nuclear revival takes shape

> MARKET FOCUS: Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive under fire

> INDUSTRY REPORT: Gas processing takes centre stage in Mena region

> INTERVIEW: Emsteel persists with business productivity and efficiency

> TUNNELS: The Gulf’s next construction boom is happening underground

To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

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Yasir Iqbal

Aldar and Mubadala acquire Masdar City Square
17 September 2026

Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company and local developer Aldar have completed the acquisition of Masdar City Square at Masdar City, in a transaction valued at AED918m ($250m).

The deal was executed through their joint venture established in 2024.

Masdar City Square comprises more than 47,000 square metres (sq m) of net leasable area across seven office buildings.

Completed in Q1 2026, the development is 99% occupied. Tenants include Taqa, the Department of Energy, Emirates College and the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

The transaction expands the joint venture’s real estate portfolio in Masdar City, which is now valued at AED4.7bn ($1.3bn).

Masdar City is one of the region’s leading hubs for clean energy, artificial intelligence, advanced research and sustainable urban development.

The joint venture acquired The Link project at Masdar City for AED654m ($178m) in April.

Comprising about 32,000 sq m of net leasable area across five buildings, The Link is fully leased to a portfolio of major tenants, including Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

The asset includes Grade A, Leed Platinum office space, a net-zero-energy headquarters building, a multi-use hall and residential accommodation, supporting its position as a high-performing, integrated component of Masdar City.

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Yasir Iqbal
Dubai announces new 80km highway corridor
16 September 2026

Dubai has approved the construction of the new fourth corridor, a major highway programme aimed at boosting inter-emirate connectivity, increasing road capacity and easing congestion.

The corridor will extend 80 kilometres, from Al-Faya Road in Abu Dhabi to Al-Shanouf Road in Sharjah.

It will include 12 lanes, 72 bridges and 17 tunnels.

The project is expected to reduce travel times by up to 60% and serve more than 3.1 million people, while providing links to Al-Maktoum International airport and Etihad Rail.

It will have the capacity to accommodate 24,000 vehicles per hour in each direction.

The project will be delivered in two phases. The first phase, running from Al-Shanouf Road to Dubai-Al Ain Road, will be delivered at a cost of AED3.5bn ($953m).

The second phase will stretch from Dubai-Al Ain Road to Al-Faya Road in Abu Dhabi.

Hamdan bin Mohammed: In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to boost investment in infrastructure, I approved the New Fourth Corridor to strengthen Dubai’s road network and enhance connectivity with the UAE’s federal road network.… pic.twitter.com/zlIyY2yKBN

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 16, 2026

The scheme adds a fourth spine to a network that has long relied on three main corridors: the E11 (Sheikh Zayed Road/Al-Ittihad Road); the E311 (Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Road) and the E611 (Emirates Road), which together carry more than 850,000 vehicles commuting between Dubai and the northern emirates daily.

That concentration has made the route one of the country’s most congested, with peak-hour bottlenecks a persistent problem for residents. The new corridor is designed to divert a significant share of that traffic onto a higher-capacity route, rather than add pressure to the existing network.

The project also aligns with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which anticipates population growth to 5.8 million by 2040 and calls for the expansion of roads, railways, airports and ports to support that growth and reinforce Dubai’s position as a global trading hub. This is reflected in the corridor’s direct links to Al-Maktoum International airport and Etihad Rail.

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Yasir Iqbal

Contractors submit Expo 2030 convention centre interest

16 September 2026

Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access

Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (ERC), responsible for delivering the Expo 2030 Riyadh venue, received contractor interest on 14 September for a contract to design and build a convention centre in the site's Collaboration District.

Construction is slated to begin in January 2027 and take 29 months. The development will cover a total gross external area of more than 28,000 square metres (sq m). The total programme area will be about 22,000 sq m and the gross floor area will be 17,000 sq m. The maximum height of the building will be 41.5 metres.

The venue will be laid out across two levels, with a mezzanine, roof terraces and a 4,030 sq m basement, in addition to mechanical, electrical and plumbing and back-of-house spaces.

Two flexible exhibition halls are planned, covering a combined 7,280 sq m, as well as 3,800 sq m of pre-function space, 650 sq m dedicated to meeting rooms and 2,200 sq m of outdoor exhibition space in the north and south plazas.

The appointed main contractor will assume responsibility for packages including the early works substructure and the lead design consultant's deliverables, while carrying out the full scope of superstructure, above-ground waterproofing, external facades, masonry, base build and specialised fit-outs for VVIP, VIP and visitor areas.

Further scope includes delivering comprehensive MEP services; vertical transportation; final infrastructure tie-points; public-realm hard and soft landscaping; testing, commissioning, handover documentation; and management of the defects liability period.

The expression of interest notice was floated on 13 September.

The unusually brief expression of interest deadline of just one day underscores a compressed procurement timeline.

This accelerated tender and evaluation schedule signals that project organisers are operating under time pressure to secure contractors and maintain the tight schedule required ahead of the event's opening.

ERC expects to award the formal contract by the end of this year and begin construction in January next year.

The project is due for completion in early 2030, in time for the main event in October of that year.

Site progress

Construction activity at the Expo site is accelerating, with Riyadh moving to award its first major vertical contracts and advancing infrastructure works across the programme.

Earlier this month, MEED exclusively reported that ERC has tendered a contract to deliver the Souq areas within the expo site.

These areas are divided into five precincts, with a total development area of about 300,000 sq m.

In September, Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Riyadh City awarded a design-and-build contract for the construction of a new metro station catering to the Expo 2030 site.

In April, ERC awarded two contracts for the next phase of infrastructure works at the site to local firm Alyamama Company.

The scope covered the construction of road networks and infrastructure for water, sewage, electricity, telecommunications and electric vehicle (EV) charging.

These awards followed ERC’s January award of an estimated SR1bn ($267m) contract for initial infrastructure works at the site to local firm Nesma & Partners.

That scope covered about 50 kilometres of integrated infrastructure networks, including internal roads and essential utilities such as water, sewage, electrical and communications systems and EV charging stations.

The masterplan covers 6 square kilometres, making it one of the largest sites ever designated for a World Expo event. Situated north of the Saudi capital, the site will be located near the future King Salman International airport and will provide direct access to landmarks within Riyadh.

The Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth vehicle, launched ERC – a wholly owned subsidiary – in June 2025 to build and operate facilities for Expo 2030.