Read the March 2024 MEED Business Review
28 February 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s natural resources are estimated to be worth $2.5tn, making the metals and mining industry crucial to Riyadh’s Vision 2030 socioeconomic transformation strategy.
The latest issue of MEED Business Review examines how the kingdom's Ministry of Industry & Mineral Resources is leading efforts to boost investment in the sector with a mineral exploration incentive programme valued at $182m.
In January 2023, Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) signed a joint-venture agreement with the Public Investment Fund to establish a new entity to invest in mining assets globally, known as Manara Minerals.
Amid a surge in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the global mining sector, the new company entered into a deal in July last year with Brazilian mining major Vale to become a 10% shareholder in its subsidiary, Vale Base Metals. The $3.4bn deal was the third-biggest M&A transaction of the year, according to a GlobalData report that puts the total value of M&A deals in the sector in 2023 at $121bn.
Meanwhile, this month's exclusive 14-page market report highlights Egypt, which faces both political and economic trials. In an increasingly difficult fiscal position, Egypt also finds itself sitting at the centre of regional conflict, with the situation in Gaza threatening to spill over onto Egyptian soil. Renewed IMF funding promises to solve one problem for Cairo, but there are plenty more waiting.
MEED's latest issue is packed with insight and analysis. The team examines the IMF's downgrade of its Mena growth forecast; looks at the utility infrastructure schemes taking shape at Saudi Arabia's Neom; and assesses the rise in military spending in the region following geopolitical instability.
In this month's industry report on upstream oil and gas, we predict that after a record year for offshore projects in 2023, the momentum will continue this year with further robust spending.
The March issue also includes interviews with Rua Al Madinah Holding CEO Ahmed Al Juhani and Hill International CEO Raouf Ghali.
We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the March 2024 issue of MEED Business Review.
Must-read sections in the March 2024 issue of MEED Business Review include:
> AGENDA: Saudi Arabia transforms mining sector; Mergers soar in global mining sector
> CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMF downgrades Mena growth forecast; The world is heading for massive LNG oversupply
> INSIGHT: IEA downgrades green hydrogen growth forecast
> SAUDI ARABIA: Neom’s utility projects take shape
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INDUSTRY REPORT: |
> MILITARY BALANCE: Instability drives up defence budgets
> INTERVIEWS: Driving Madinah’s economic development; Saudi project win caps record year
> SAUDI TOURISM: Saudi tourism numbers cross 100 million
> LOGISTICS: Aramco and DHL form joint logistics company
> EGYPT MARKET REPORT:
> Cairo beset by regional geopolitical storm
> More pain for more gain for Egypt
> Egypt oil and gas project activity declines
> Familiar realities threaten Egypt’s energy hub ambitions
> Egypt’s desalination projects inch forward
> Infrastructure carries Egypt construction
> MEED COMMENTS:
> Abha airport PPP is a brave new project
> Riyadh directive casts doubt on key Aramco projects
> PIF steps in to save construction again
> Corruption case comes at key time for Saudi projects
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: UAE drives further projects growth
> JANUARY 2024 CONTRACTS: Region begins year with a record $30.5bn-worth of contract awards
> MARKET SNAPSHOT: Mena construction insights
> OPINION: Syria’s long march in from the cold
> BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts
Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.
Exclusive from Meed
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Local contractor wins $143m Jeddah sewage contracts19 February 2026
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Saudi Arabia prequalifies firms for gas transmission grids19 February 2026
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SAR tenders phosphate rail project management deal18 February 2026
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Veolia wins Jordan water services contract18 February 2026
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PIF-backed firm signs worker accommodation deal17 February 2026
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Related Articles
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Local contractor wins $143m Jeddah sewage contracts
19 February 2026
Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access
Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company (NWC) has awarded two sewage network contracts worth a combined SR536.3m ($143m) to local contractor Civil Works Company.
The projects will be implemented over 32 months from site handover and will serve northern Jeddah districts.
The first contract, valued at SR278.5m ($74.3m), covers incomplete main lines and secondary sewage networks serving parts of the Al-Bashair, Al-Asala and Al-Falah neighbourhoods.
The scope includes pipelines ranging from 200mm to 800mm in diameter with a total length of about 54.8 kilometres (km).
The package also includes sewage tunnels with diameters ranging from 600mm to 1,800mm and a total length of approximately 6.5km. Works will also serve the Taybah, Abhar Al-Shamaliyah and Al-Hamdaniyah districts.
The second contract is valued at SR257.8m ($68.8m). It covers the implementation of main lines and sub-networks to serve part of the Al-Hamdaniya neighbourhood.
The works include pipelines ranging from 200mm to 1,500mm in diameter with a total length of about 78.5km. The scope also includes horizontal drilling works for sewage tunnels with diameters from 1,200mm to 1,400mm and a total length of approximately 205 metres.
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Saudi Arabia prequalifies firms for gas transmission grids
19 February 2026
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Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry has prequalified companies to develop natural gas distribution networks in five industrial cities in the kingdom on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis.
The industrial zones earmarked are Al-Kharj Industrial City; Sudair City for Industry and Business; and the First, Second and Third Industrial Cities in Jeddah, the Energy Ministry said in a statement.
The contractors prequalified to bid for the natural gas transmission grids BOO scheme include eight standalone firms and seven consortiums:
- East Gas (Egypt)
- Natural Gas Distribution Company (Saudi Arabia)
- Egyptian Kuwaiti Advanced Operation and Maintenance (Saudi Arabia)
- Modern Gas (Egypt)
- Saab Energy Solutions (Saudi Arabia)
- Sergas Contracting (Saudi Arabia)
- Bharat Petroleum Corporation (India)
- UniGas Arabia (Saudi Arabia)
- Best Gas Carrier / Khazeen / Mubadra (Saudi Arabia)
- Al Sharif Contracting (Saudi Arabia) / Anton Oilfield Services Group (China) China Oil and Gas Group
- Hulul (owned by Saudi Arabia’s National Gas and Industrialization Company) /Al-Fanar Gas Group (UAE)
- Indraprastha Gas (India) / Masah Contracting (Saudi Arabia)
- Expertise Contracting / PGL Pipelines (UK)
- National Gas Company (Egypt) / Egypt Gas (Egypt)
- Taqa Arabia (Egypt) / Taqa Group (UAE)
The Energy Ministry has set a deadline of 23 April for these prequalified contractors to submit technical bids.
The ministry added in its statement that it has identified a total of 36 industrial cities in Saudi Arabia for gas infrastructure development.
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Veolia wins Jordan water services contract
18 February 2026
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France's Veolia has signed a four-year performance-based management contract with the Water Authority of Jordan to support water and wastewater services in the country’s northern governorates.
Under the contract, Veolia will provide operations, maintenance and management services to Yarmouk Water Company, the public utility responsible for water supply and wastewater services in the region.
The agreement covers Irbid, Jerash, Ajloun and Mafraq, an area spanning nearly 30,000 square kilometres and covering about 3 million people.
The scope includes water and wastewater operations, maintenance, billing and collection, and customer service.
According to the firm, the performance-based structure prioritises measurable improvements, including service delivery, cost efficiency and revenue management.
The company said it will deploy technical and management specialists to support operations, rehabilitation works and investment initiatives.
The contract builds on Veolia’s existing operational role in Jordan’s water sector. The company operates the Disi-Amman scheme, which supplies about 100 million cubic metres of drinking water a year, under an operations and maintenance contract.
It also operates the Al-Samra wastewater treatment plant, which produces about 133 million cubic metres of treated wastewater annually for agricultural reuse.
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SAR tenders phosphate rail project management deal
18 February 2026
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Saudi Arabian Railways (SAR) has floated another tender inviting firms to bid for a contract covering the project management consultancy services for its Phosphate 3 rail programme.
The tender was issued on 15 February with a bid submission deadline of 5 April.
The contract duration is 54 months.
The latest tender follows SAR floating a multibillion-riyal tender to double the tracks on the existing phosphate transport railway network connecting the Waad Al-Shamal mines to Ras Al-Khair in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.
The tender – covering the second section of the track-doubling works, spanning more than 150 kilometres (km) – was issued on 9 February. The bid submission deadline is 15 April.
Earlier this month, MEED reported that SAR received bids from contractors on 1 February for the project’s first phase, which spans about 100km from the AZ1/Nariyah Yard to Ras Al-Khair.
The scope includes track doubling, alignment modifications, new utility bridges, culvert widening and hydrological structures, as well as the conversion of the AZ1 siding into a mainline track.
The scope also covers support for signalling and telecommunications systems.
The tender notice was issued in late November with a bid submission deadline of 20 January.
Switzerland-based engineering firm ARX is the project consultant.
MEED understands that SAR is expected to tender a total of four packages for the phosphate railway line.
The other packages expected to be tendered shortly include the depot and the systems package.
In 2023, MEED reported that SAR was planning two projects to increase its freight capacity, including an estimated SR4.2bn ($1.1bn) project to install a second track along the North Train freight line and construct three new freight yards.
Formerly known as the North-South Railway, the North Train is a 1,550km-long freight line running from the phosphate and bauxite mines in the far north of the kingdom to the Al-Baithah junction. There, it diverges into a line southwards to Riyadh and a second line running east to downstream fertiliser production and alumina refining facilities at Ras Al-Khair on the Gulf coast.
Adding a second track and the freight yards will significantly increase the network’s cargo-carrying capacity and facilitate increased industrial production. Project implementation is expected to take four years.
State-owned SAR is also considering increasing the localisation of railway materials and equipment, including the construction of a cement sleeper manufacturing facility.
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PIF-backed firm signs worker accommodation deal
17 February 2026
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Saudi Arabia's Smart Accommodation for Residential Complexes Company (Sarcc) has signed an agreement with Riyadh-based Mawref Company to develop a 12,000-bed worker accommodation project in North Riyadh.
The project will cover about 120,000 square metres (sq m), with a total built-up area of 150,000 sq m.
The development is expected to cost over SR669m ($178m), with the first phase slated for completion in 2029.
Sarcc is backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi sovereign wealth vehicle.
The agreement follows Sarcc signing another agreement in September last year with privately-owned local firm Tamimi Global Company to explore collaboration in developing worker accommodation facilities in the kingdom.
The PIF launched Sarcc in October 2024 with the aim of developing and operating staff housing and accommodation assets in the kingdom.
Sarcc will develop and operate the staff accommodation facilities at major construction projects in Saudi Arabia.
The company will seek opportunities to invest in the sector to strengthen staff housing standards. Sarcc will also look to engage the private sector by enabling investment and partnership opportunities in sectors including construction, catering, transportation and retail.
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