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Mena pushes for nuclear future

2 August 2023

 

The Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is set to register a rise of at least 30 per cent in power generation capacity by 2030 due to population growth and industrial expansion.

The rapid increase requires a strategy to advance energy security while reducing carbon emissions and fossil-fuel dependence, creating strong interest in nuclear power and renewable energy.

Iran has a 1GW nuclear plant in Bushehr and construction is under way for a second 300MW reactor in Khuzestan.

In the UAE, three of the four 1.4GW reactors at the GCC region’s first multi-unit nuclear power plant in Barakah, Abu Dhabi, are now connected to the electricity grid.

Egypt, in partnership with Russia’s Rosatom, is building its first nuclear power plant in El-Debaa.

Riyadh, meanwhile, tendered the contract to build its first large-scale power plant in Duwaiheen last year.

Beyond the GCC, Jordan has announced the production of 20 kilograms of yellowcake from 160 tonnes of uranium ore at a newly operational processing facility, while Morocco has completed a study supporting a plan to go nuclear.

Alternative base load

Apart from Saudi Arabia, these countries have significant renewable capacity as of 2023. All aim for renewables to account for up to half of installed capacity by the end of the decade.

Nuclear is seen as an alternative base load to thermal capacity to counter the intermittency of renewables in the absence of viable storage solutions. This has helped build the case for adding nuclear to the energy mix – although, in the UAE, the Barakah plant predated the renewable energy programme.

The decarbonisation potential of nuclear may be overstated, however, says a leading regional expert on utility projects.

“We should use all available clean-carbon solutions to decarbonise all industrial and human consumption and endeavour,” says Paddy Padmanathan, former CEO of Saudi utility Acwa Power. “Clearly we need to decarbonise as soon as possible.”

The rate at which the residual carbon budget is being consumed implies that even zero emissions by 2050 will not be sufficient, according to the executive. This begs the question: Which technologies will deliver solutions at scale to quickly achieve decarbonisation.

Nuclear power plants, which – with the exception of Abu Dhabi’s Barakah – have struggled to be delivered on time and within budget, may not be a viable solution, says Padmanathan, who now sits on the board of the UK energy startup Xlinks and green hydrogen firm Zhero.

He says nuclear power plants outside China have taken twice as long to build than planned and have typically cost more than twice their budget. Such capital expenditure and long construction times mean nuclear may only make sense if you have lots of spare cash, he adds.

Hence it is unwise to factor in nuclear to plans to decarbonise power generation by 2050, Padmanathan argues. “We already have much – if not all – the technologies to get the job done,” he notes, referring to renewable energy and battery storage solutions, among others. 

He continues: “One cannot bank on such a rare outlier as Barakah, which got completed with only a marginal increase in cost and time, and rely on nuclear to deliver any meaningful level of flexible base load.”

Saudi programme

Budget availability and the urgency of decarbonisation aside, other factors complicate nuclear projects in the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom’s nuclear energy programme dates back to 2010 with the creation of King Abdullah City for Atomic & Renewable Energy (KA-Care). In 2021, KA-Care invited consultancy bids for its first large-scale nuclear power project in Duwaiheen, close to the Qatar border. It awarded the financial, legal and technical advisory services contracts last year.

In October 2022, Riyadh issued the request for proposals for the main contract to Russian, South Korean, Chinese and French firms.

Earlier this year, it formed the Saudi Nuclear Energy Holding Company, which plans to develop nuclear power plants as early as 2027 to produce electricity and to desalinate seawater, as well as for thermal energy applications. 

Most recently, the state offtaker Saudi Power Procurement Company floated a tender for advisers to help prepare and review project agreements related to the procurement of electricity from Saudi’s first nuclear power plant, raising further speculation about the nuclear project.

The Saudi programme, particularly the kingdom’s plans to mine uranium as part of its economic and industrial strategy, is a thorn in Washington’s side. It is understood to have been a key theme in discussions when US President Joe Biden visited Riyadh last year.

Washington is wary of the nuclear power plant contract being awarded to Chinese or Russian contractors, not only because this could drive Riyadh closer to geopolitical rivals of the US, but also because it weakens US demands for Riyadh to abandon its nuclear fuel cycle ambitions before signing any bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement (NCA), otherwise known in Washington as a 123 agreement.

Uranium has to be enriched to up to 5 per cent for use in nuclear power plants and to 90 per cent to become weapons-grade. According to an Energy Intelligence report, the stalemate between Washington and Riyadh centres around US demands for Saudi Arabia to commit to the NCA and not pursue a domestic uranium enrichment or reprocessing programme.

The US also wants the kingdom to sign and ratify the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Additional Protocol, allowing nuclear inspectors fuller access to Saudi Arabia’s nuclear programme.

The report alludes to the US supporting South Korean contractor Kepco’s bid to develop the nuclear plant because it provides Washington with a final lever for pressuring Riyadh to accept its conditions for the 123 agreement and IAEA protocol.

Done deal

Biden’s visit did not produce material results, although unconfirmed reports say he may have given his blessing to the project, while others argue Riyadh did not need it.

“I think, in the end, this is a done deal, meaning that Saudi Arabia will pursue a nuclear energy programme,” says Karen Young, a senior research scholar at the Centre on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University in the US.

“They will pursue domestic uranium mining and likely enrichment, and we will see a more global ramp-up of nuclear energy use – and also, over time, possibly areas of proliferation in security uses not just in the Mena region, but across a wide geography.”

The US can either take solace from the fact that it takes time to develop a nuclear project, or it can – if it is not too late – revisit its relationship with Saudi Arabia, especially in the wake of a rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh under a deal brokered by China.

“Moving into design and procurement phases … whether with Russian, Chinese or South Korean [firms] … heightens already sensitive notions of strategic competition in the Gulf, as the US understands it,” notes Young.

In hindsight, it appears the US government has under-appreciated the seriousness of the Saudi plan or the importance of localised industry and mining as a domestic economic and security interest.

“Saudi Arabia sees an opportunity to play the US against its other options, so this is a unique moment of bargaining in which the nuclear file can be traded against broader foreign policy priorities for the Saudi leadership,” Young says.

Russian conundrum

The Barakah nuclear process, which entailed Abu Dhabi signing a 123 agreement with Washington, is seen as a gold standard. Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (Enec) signed supply contracts with France’s Areva and Russia’s Tenex for the supply of uranium concentrates and for the provision of conversion and enrichment services.

It then contracted Uranium One, part of Russia’s Rosatom, and UK-headquartered Rio Tinto for the supply of natural uranium for the plant. US-based ConverDyn provided conversion services, while British firm Urenco provided enrichment services.

The enriched uranium was supplied to Kepco Nuclear Fuels to manufacture the fuel assemblies for use at the Barakah nuclear power plant.

Fuel supply, processing, removal and storage are now complicated by Russia’s conflict and its global reputation, notes Young. The reference to Russia is important, given that Iran has provided drones to the country for use in its war with Ukraine, in exchange for the sale of advanced military equipment and cyber warfare. This is seen as a direct threat to Opec ally Riyadh.

The Tehran-Riyadh rapprochement only makes sense from a viewpoint where a dead Iran nuclear deal could expedite the Islamic Republic’s plan to build a bomb, potentially leading to a nuclear arms raise in the region, which everyone – particularly the two countries’ biggest client, China – would rather avoid.

Despite these complexities, the regional and global push to build nuclear capacity following the invasion of Ukraine and the threat to global gas supplies does not appear to be slowing.

The UAE, for instance, has partnered with the US to mobilise $100bn to support clean energy projects at home and abroad, and has pledged $30bn for energy cooperation with South Korea. Both these commitments involve significant investments in renewable and civilian nuclear energy projects.

This suggests that nuclear as a clean energy option is here to stay, despite mounting costs and geopolitical risks

Unfortunately, however, in a region marked by perennial instability, there are few incentives for the involved countries to be more transparent about their programmes.

While the evolving rapprochement between countries that have previously considered each other existential threats might not eliminate the spectre of a nuclear arms race, it can defuse tensions in the interim while helping push decarbonisation agendas.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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    31 December 2025

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    John Bambridge
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    Oman’s economic story in recent years has been one of steady rebalancing rather than dramatic transformation. Amid sharpening regional headwinds and geopolitical uncertainty, Muscat has pursued a measured diversification strategy that is steadily paying off. In 2025, the sultanate reached a critical inflection point in this journey: non‑hydrocarbon activity rose to account for more than 70% of GDP.

    This reflects a government-led diversification agenda that has only accelerated since the pandemic, with redoubled support for logistics, tourism, mining and green energy. The sultanate is nevertheless walking a careful line between ambition and restraint. The government has clear spending limits, and fiscal prudence remains the implicit byword for any public investment. However, Oman’s key growth sectors are also those that offer long-term resilience and align with the country’s natural advantages.

    In the energy sector, Oman LNG is pushing ahead with its plan to add a fourth liquefaction train, in a move that will significantly increase LNG export capacity. The project has become a focal point for the energy sector’s renewed momentum. With global gas markets reshaped by supply insecurity and shifting demand patterns in Asia, Oman has a narrow but meaningful window in which to expand.

    Renewable energy is advancing in parallel, with Oman preparing for a substantial pipeline of 4.5GW of solar independent power plants and roughly 1GW of new wind capacity by 2030. If delivered on schedule, this will reposition the sultanate as a regional leader in utility-scale renewables and lay the groundwork for its green hydrogen aspirations. The challenge will be to sequence projects in a way that maintains investor confidence while managing grid integration and regulatory clarity.

    Construction, too, has gathered momentum. Contract awards have risen in the past three years, driven by infrastructure, industrial schemes and urban development. It is a sector that often serves as a bellwether for broader economic health – and in Oman’s case, the trajectory is largely positive. Oman is not racing to launch headline-grabbing megaprojects, though some of its recent master plans – such as Sultan Haitham City – have attracted attention for their reimagining of urban sustainability at a level of sophistication well above the Gulf industry standard.

    Such developments are an apt metaphor for Oman’s broader diversification trajectory: the sultanate is building patiently and coherently, with an eye on resilience as much as on growth, and doing so within a defined budget. Amid uncertainty, it is a strategy that suits the times.

     

    MEED’s January 2026 report on Oman includes:

    > GVT & ECONOMY: Oman pursues diversification amid regional concerns
    > BANKING: Oman banks feel impact of stronger economy
    > OIL & GAS: LNG goals galvanise Oman’s oil and gas sector
    > POWER & WATER: Oman prepares for a wave of IPP awards
    > CONSTRUCTION: Momentum builds in construction sector

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
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  • Oman pursues diversification amid regional concerns

    31 December 2025

     

    In late November, a batch of 36 wind turbines arrived at Oman’s Duqm Port, destined for the Riyah 1 and 2 projects being developed by OQ Alternative Energy. Each turbine can generate some 6.5MW – enough to supply 2,400 Omani homes – and yet, rather than being fed into the national grid, their output will be used by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) to ramp up the use of renewable energy in its own operations. This will both reduce its carbon emissions and free up more gas for other purposes.

    This combination of continued hydrocarbon exploitation and clean energy development is a familiar pattern around the Gulf. For Oman, it is also a sign of its efforts to diversify while making existing energy resources go further.

    With the recovery of oil prices, Oman’s nominal GDP has surged by 41% from 2020 to 2024, according to the Washington-based IMF

    Plans within plans

    In 2026, the country will begin the 11th phase of its five-year cycle of its Vision 2040 development plan, in which both diversification and improved performance feature strongly. Ministry of Economy undersecretary Nasser Rashid Al-Maawali set out the objectives of the 2026-30 plan in a 24 November presentation to the State Council. Among the points he highlighted were a focus on building a diversified and sustainable economy, greater economic decentralisation and raising institutional performance.

    The authorities can look back with some satisfaction on the10th plan, which began as Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq Al-Said was taking office in January 2020. Since then, the government’s finances have been turned around, with debt levels brought down and spending kept under control even as the economy as a whole has continued to grow. With the recovery of oil prices, Oman’s nominal GDP has surged by 41% from 2020 to 2024, according to the IMF, reaching $107bn at the end of that period.

    Diversification remains a work in progress, but there has been positive movement. According to Capital Intelligence Ratings, non-hydrocarbon activity accounted for 72.4% of GDP in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 69.9% in 2020.

    In a review of the economy issued in late November, the IMF had encouraging words for Muscat. The organisation’s mission chief for Oman, Abdullah Al-Hassan, said the economic outlook for the country was “favourable” and the coming five-year plan “presents an important opportunity to accelerate economic diversification, boost productivity and create more private sector jobs for Omanis”.

    However, there are still vulnerabilities. Data from the Ministry of Finance for the third quarter of the year showed revenues falling and expenditure rising, amid subdued international oil prices and restrictions on output under the Opec+ arrangements.

    Public revenue over the first nine months of this year totalled RO8.5bn ($22bn), an 8% decrease from the same period of 2024, with oil income down 13% and gas revenues down 4%.

    Public spending meanwhile was up 2% over the period to RO8.9bn, leaving a small but noteworthy deficit. The shortfall was mainly due to capital expenditure, with ministries spending RO1.1bn on development projects, or 23% more than the RO900m that had been anticipated. Economists expect further budget deficits in the coming years, unless oil prices rebound.

    Non-oil potential

    Developing the non-oil economy remains a critical aspect of future growth, with key target sectors including tourism. Oman Air is considering ordering more planes in the new year, with chief executive Con Korfiatis saying at the recent Dubai Airshow “we will definitely need more” narrow-bodied jets. It is unclear if it will order new planes from Airbus or Boeing or look for second-hand jets on the lease market.

    Green hydrogen is another significant area of activity for the future, although it remains to be seen if global demand will develop quickly enough to meet all the supply being planned, in Oman and elsewhere. According to the authorities, Oman is aiming to attract $140bn of investments in its green hydrogen sector by 2050.

    In the shorter-term, a more prosaic list of sectors is generating growth. According to the IMF, the strong economic performance in the first half of 2025 was boosted by activity in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail, logistics, construction, and agriculture and fishing sectors. “Growth is projected to strengthen over 2025-26 as oil production cuts unwind and non-hydrocarbon activity continues to expand,” said Al-Hassan.

    He urged further modernisation of the tax system, including the personal income tax on high earners, which is due to be introduced in early 2028. The IMF has also called for more cuts to spending, including phasing out untargeted energy subsidies.

    Geopolitical risk

    However, for all the progress made in expanding the economy and putting government finances on a surer footing in recent years, Oman cannot escape its neighbourhood. The IMF noted in its report that “renewed geopolitical tensions could weigh on growth and fiscal and external positions.”

    This is something Omani officials are acutely aware of and it has informed the country’s long-standing role as a regional mediator.

    Events in June threw that into sharp relief, when a planned sixth round of indirect talks between the US and Iran in Muscat were abruptly cancelled, after Israel launched a bombing campaign on Iran.

    It was an event Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Bin Hamad Al-Busaidi focused on during his speech at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain in early November. “We have long known that Israel, not Iran, is the prime source of insecurity in the region,” he said.

    With Saudi Arabia now reportedly playing a more central role in mediating between the US and Iran, Oman’s position as a regional intermediary may now be reduced – at least in regard to that bilateral stand-off. But Muscat could still play an important role in helping to resolve the situation in Yemen, particularly as the Houthi’s main negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam resides in Muscat.

    “Failing to engage constructively and in good faith with Iran, with the Houthis and others, will not resolve issues like proxy wars, human suffering or nuclear proliferation,” Al-Busaidi told the audience in Manama. “On the contrary, exclusion fuels conflict, extremism and instability, worsening exactly these challenges. Only an inclusive regional security framework can effectively address shared challenges.”

    A calmer geopolitical backdrop would also provide a more conducive environment for Omani economic development and diversification.

    MEED’s January 2026 report on Oman also includes:

    > BANKING: Oman banks feel impact of stronger economy
    > OIL & GAS: LNG goals galvanise Oman’s oil and gas sector
    > POWER & WATER: Oman prepares for a wave of IPP awards
    > CONSTRUCTION: Momentum builds in construction sector

     

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  • UAE and Qatar emerge as markets to watch

    30 December 2025

     

    Heading into 2026, the UAE and Qatar lead the MEED Economic Activity Index, with both countries surging ahead of their peers buoyed by their bullish real GDP growth forecasts, sound macroeconomic fundamentals and expansionary project markets.

    The UAE remains the region’s strongest economic performer, with real GDP expected to grow by 4.8% in 2025 and 5% in 2026, according to the IMF. Project award activity has held at more than $90bn in the past 12 months – matching the previous period and standing 75% above the average annual awards value of the past decade.

    Awards also exceeded project completions by a ratio of 2.5:1, generating a $60bn positive net change and lifting the value of projects under execution by 25%.

    Qatar has the region’s most bullish real GDP outlook, with its 2.9% growth in 2025 expected to accelerate to 6.1% in 2026, driven by a liquefied natural gas expansion and rising non-oil output. The projects market is also strengthening again after the post-2022 World Cup lull. Awards increased by 24% in the past 12 months, rising to 30% above the 10-year average and expanding the value of projects under execution by 8%.

    The UAE remains the region’s strongest economic performer, with real GDP expected to grow by 4.8% in 2025 and 5% in 2026

    Kuwait follows with a robust 2026 growth forecast of 3.9% and double-digit current account and fiscal surpluses (before contributions to the Future Generations Fund).

    The suspension of parliament has enabled a revival in infrastructure spending after years of weak performance, driving a 50% rise in contract awards in 2025.

    Recent awards have been four times the value of project completions, increasing the value of projects under execution by 29%.

    Saudi Arabia has a real GDP growth projection of 4% for both 2025 and 2026. Despite strong fundamentals, the country has slid into current account and fiscal deficits, and pressure on spending has contributed to a 23% year-on-year decline in project awards.

    Even so, the projects market remains buoyant, with award activity still 65% above the 10-year average – driving up the value of projects under execution by 8% in the past year.

    Rising fortunes

    Morocco has recently posted strong economic growth and project activity. Real GDP growth hit 4.4% in 2025 and is expected to be sustained at 4.2% in 2026 despite fiscal fragility and high unemployment. The projects market has stabilised at around $10bn in awards for the second year running – double the long-term average – lifting the value of projects under execution by 15%.

    Oman’s real GDP growth is expected to increase from 2.9% in 2025 to 4% in 2026. Fiscal reforms have kept spending disciplined, but this has constrained project investment. Contract awards have fallen by 50% in the past 12 months, dropping below recent peaks and settling 15% under the long-term average.

    Morocco's projects market has stabilised at around $10bn in awards for the second year running – double the long-term average

    Jordan is set for just 2.9% real GDP growth in 2026, and continues to face severe fiscal pressures. However, January saw the landmark award of the $6bn Aqaba-Amman water desalination and conveyance scheme – by far the largest project in Jordan and expected to stimulate activity across industrial supply chains. Financial close for the scheme is anticipated by early 2026.

    Struggling economies

    Bahrain is currently the GCC’s weakest performer and is forecast to grow by only 3.3% in 2026, even as public expenses produce a double-digit fiscal deficit. Lower capital spending in the past 12 months has contributed to one of the weakest years on record for project awards, which fell to $1.4bn – 50% below the previous year and 60% under the long-term average. The completion of the $5bn Bapco modernisation project has driven a 38% drop in the value of projects under execution to $8.2bn.

    Iraq is emerging from 0.5% growth in 2025 towards a much more positive forecast of 3.6% growth in 2026. Baghdad is spending heavily on projects, with more than $30bn contracts awarded in the past 12 months – double the long-term average, and for the second year running.

    Egypt is in the opposite position, with a solid 4.5% growth forecast for 2026, supported by foreign investment inflows, but offset by a double-digit fiscal deficit and weakening capital spending. High consumer price inflation – at 20% in 2025 – continues to overheat the economy. Project awards have fallen by 40% in the past 12 months to sit 30% below the long-term average.

    Baghdad is spending heavily on projects, with more than $30bn contracts awarded in the past 12 months – double the long-term average, and for the second year running

    Tunisia, meanwhile, is forecast to record the weakest real GDP performance in 2026 at 2.1%. The country also faces 5.9% inflation and both current account and fiscal deficits. Project activity has improved, doubling year-on-year compared with previous years, but this is coming from a very low base.

    Algeria ranks lowest in the index, with real GDP growth expected to fall to 2.9% in 2026, alongside a double-digit fiscal deficit. Contract awards have halved in the past 12 months, reaching 25% below long-term averages. The World Bank has flagged Algeria’s medium-term outlook as uncertain without structural reform.

    About the index

    MEED’s Economic Activity Index, first published in June 2020, combines macroeconomic, fiscal, social and risk factors alongside data from MEED Projects to provide an index score of the near-term economic potential of Middle East and North African markets.

    View the previous MEED indexes here
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  • Investors focus on residential sector for new deals

    29 December 2025

     

    This package also includes: Saudi real estate to surge in 2026
    A series of legislative changes were made in 2025 to facilitate further growth of the sector in 2026

    Saudi Arabia’s real estate market continued to gather momentum at the Cityscape Global 2025 event, with a record SR237bn ($63.1bn) of deals signed.

    The event was held on 17-20 November at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre and was inaugurated by Saudi Municipalities & Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail.

    Although the deals signed at the event signalled a modest increase in dollar terms from the $61bn reported in 2024, they underline a steady increase in commitments to Saudi Arabia’s wider ecosystem of tourism, healthcare, logistics and supporting infrastructure schemes.

    A large share of the $63.1bn is tied to the development of housing and residential communities, reflecting continued policy support for home ownership and urban expansion. Tourism- and infrastructure-related agreements also featured heavily.

    NHC signings

    The headline of the event was the series of agreements worth billions of dollars signed by Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Company (NHC) with many local and international firms.

    The company signed two agreements worth over SR8.5bn ($2.2bn) for the development of two mixed-use and residential communities in Riyadh. The first agreement, worth over SR5.2bn ($1.4bn), was signed with local developer Retal Urban Development Company for a total of 4,839 residential units in the Al-Fursan suburb of Riyadh.

    The other contract, worth over SR3.3bn ($880m), was signed with a joint venture of Egypt’s Hassan Allam Holding and local developer Tilal Real Estate for a mixed-use project in the Khozam district. The development will cover over 228,000 square metres (sq m).

    The headline of the event was the series of agreements … signed by Saudi Arabia’s NHC

    NHC also signed an investment agreement worth over SR1bn ($266m) with Turkiye’s Emlak Konut to develop residential communities within the Mecca Gate project in Mecca. Emlak Konut will develop 1,000 residential villas.

    A SR2.64bn ($702m) partnership agreement was also announced with Egyptian real estate developer Mountain View to launch a residential project in the Al-Fursan suburb in Riyadh. The development will span 930,000 sq m and comprise 1,923 units.

    NHC also signed agreements with local developers. It inked a deal with Ledar Company to develop over 930 units within the Dar Makkah project in Wujhat Bawabat, Mecca, valued at SR899m ($240m), and another with Dar Wa Emaar Company for 2,843 units in Wujhat Al-Fursan, worth more than SR3.3bn ($879m). 

    A deal with Ezdihar Real Estate will deliver a further 1,120 units in Wujhat Al-Fursan, valued at over SR880m ($234m).

    NHC also announced a SR600m ($160m) deal with Al-Omar Investment to develop 14,000 residential units at the Dama Al-Mashriqya project in East Riyadh. 

    A SR525m ($140m) contract was awarded to local firm Zaid Alhussain & Brothers Group for infrastructure works in the Khuzam area north of Riyadh, while Saleh Abdulla Almahana Company secured a SR651m ($173m) contract to build 1,290 units for the Rose House project in Al-Ahsa.

    NHC also awarded Riyadh-based Alomaier Trading & Contracting Company a contract to carry out infrastructure works at its Khuzam residential development in Riyadh. The scope of work covers all infrastructure works across an area of 4 million sq m.

    NHC also announced the construction of 1,085 villas within the Al-Ghoroub project in Medina.

    More announcements

    NHC’s signings were complemented by further deals announced by major developers and government entities.

    > Diriyah: Saudi gigaproject developer Diriyah Company awarded two construction contracts with a combined value of over SR5.7bn ($1.5bn) on the sidelines of the event.

    The first, valued at about $800m, was awarded to the local BEC Arabia Contracting Company for the construction of offices in the Media and Innovation district of the Diriyah development. Within the same district, BEC Arabia will also build residential assets on the Manazel Al-Hadawi plots.

    The other contract, estimated to be worth $900m, was awarded to local firm Almabani General Contractors for the main construction works on King Khalid Road.

    > King Salman Park: The King Salman Park Foundation, Ajdan Real Estate and Sedco Capital announced a partnership agreement to build a SR3.8bn ($1bn) mixed-use real estate project within King Salman Park in Riyadh. The project will feature over 600 residential units, 200 hotel rooms, 45,000 sq m of office space and retail and service facilities covering 106,000 sq m.

    > Urubah Investment: Local firm Urubah Investment unveiled a 53-floor residential and commercial tower in Riyadh’s Al-Yasmin district, with a built-up area of 160,000 sq m.

    > Zood Real Estate: The firm announced the launch of a 10-tower mixed-use project on Riyadh’s Northern Ring Road.

    > Ajdan Real Estate: The developer launched the Ajdan Infiniti complex and signed a financing agreement with Alawwal Bank. It also launched the Ajdan Towers project in Riyadh.

    > Masar: Jeddah-based Masar sold three plots of land in its Masar Destination in Mecca for the construction of residential and hotel towers, with investments reaching SR1.6bn ($426m). It also signed an agreement for two plots for the development of two residential towers, with investments exceeding SR1bn ($266m). 

    Masar also signed a land sale deal for a 500-unit hotel tower, with total investments exceeding SR1bn ($266m), and a SR700m ($186m) land reservation agreement with Al-Diyar Al-Arabiya to develop a 300-unit residential tower.

    > Mohammad Al-Habib: The developer launched a $1.3bn mixed-use project in the north of Riyadh.

    > Al-Awaly: Jizan-based firm Al-Awaly announced signing a contract to establish Jazan Water City on an area of 114,000 sq m with an investment value of SR200m ($52m).

    > Alothaim: The firm announced the launch of three mixed-use projects in Dammam, Medina and Khamis Mushait.

    > Al-Majdiah Development: The firm signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Alinma Bank to develop financing solutions that support its future projects.

    > Roshn Group: The Saudi gigaproject developer signed partnership agreements for educational and residential developments and the localisation of supply chains. These include an MoU with the UK’s Cognita Schools to develop a private school in its Sedra residential community in Riyadh.

    On the residential side, Roshn launched Sedra Residence, the construction contract for which has been awarded to Building Construction Company. 

    Roshn was also granted the first instant licence for off-plan sales projects. 

    In addition, local developer Maskan purchased land in Roshn’s Al-Arous community in Jeddah. Maskan will develop a mixed-use project at an investment of SR1.7bn ($453m).

    > Sedco Capital: The firm signed agreements to develop a 540-unit residential complex and a 200-unit residential tower, with total investments of SR1.8bn ($479m). Sedco also signed a deal to develop a Courtyard by Marriott-branded hotel with 1,100 rooms within the Masar Destination in Mecca.

    > Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company: The firm signed an agreement with Al-Rajhi Bank to purchase two real estate financing portfolios worth SR10bn ($2.6bn).

    > Osus Real Estate: The developer launched two mixed-use projects in the Al-Malqa and Al-Qayrawan districts of Riyadh, with a total investment of about SR3bn ($800m).

    > Liwan Real Estate: The firm launched a 151,300 sq m project comprising 2,500 residential units, along with a hotel, offices and commercial facilities, at an investment of SR4.5bn ($1.2bn).

    > Kooheji Developments: The firm launched a three-tower development with 1,250 units, located in Al-Khobar.

    > Bank Albilad: The bank launched a SR4.4bn ($1.1bn) fund to develop a mixed-use project in the Qurtuba district of Riyadh.

    > SAB Invest: Together with Dallah Health and Aljazira Capital, SAB Invest will develop medical, commercial and hotel facilities near Dallah Al-Nakheel Hospital in Riyadh at an investment of SR1.2bn ($319m).

    > Heyazah: The firm announced a mixed-use project spanning 103,000 sq m in the vicinity of King Salman Park in Riyadh.

    > Riyad Capital: The investment company launched a SR1.7bn ($453m) fund to develop the One Mountain View project, featuring over 500 villas in the north of Riyadh.

    > Al-Basateen: The developer launched the Al-Basateen Tower project at the intersection of Riyadh’s Northern Ring Road and King Fahd Road.

    > Alinma Bank: The bank launched a fund worth SR3bn ($800m) to develop 2.7 million sq m of land in the Al-Janadriyah district of Riyadh.

    READ: Saudi real estate to surge in 2026 

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    Yasir Iqbal
  • Saudi real estate to surge in 2026

    29 December 2025

     

    This package also includes: Investors focus on residential sector for new deals
    Deals worth $63.1bn were signed at the Cityscape Global 2025 property show in Riyadh

    After nearly a decade of Saudi sovereign wealth vehicle the Public Investment Fund (PIF) taking on the delivery burden of the kingdom’s largest projects, Riyadh is now turning to private sector real estate developers to help deliver its ambitions. 

    The shift reflects both opportunity and necessity. The PIF-led model has enabled Saudi Arabia to fast-track its gigaprojects and anchor Vision 2030’s transformation objectives. Riyadh is now looking for the private sector to maintain this momentum.

    Opening the market

    To encourage more real estate activity, the kingdom’s long-awaited foreign ownership law was approved in August 2025. It will come into force in early 2026 after a 180-day implementation period. It introduces a comprehensive structure for non-Saudi ownership of real estate.

    The law allows non-Saudi individuals and companies to own, lease and use property in designated areas, subject to restrictions by type and location. Foreign residents can own one home for personal use outside restricted zones, excluding Mecca and Medina. 

    Meanwhile, companies with foreign shareholders can acquire real estate across the kingdom, including in Mecca and Medina, provided it is for business purposes or employee housing and in line with financial regulations. 

    The intention is to help Saudi Arabia tap into international property demand – as Dubai has done – to boost foreign direct investment (FDI). 

    In 2024, the kingdom attracted SR119bn ($31.7bn) in FDI, up 24% year-on-year and 37% above earlier estimates, but still short of the $100bn annual target for 2030. 

    Manufacturing led inflows with SR35bn, followed by wholesale and retail trade, construction and financial and insurance services. Real estate did not feature among the top-performing sectors, underlining the potential for growth.

    Land and finance

    While the foreign ownership law focuses on demand, the revised white land tax regime, effective from 22 August 2025, targets supply. The law aims to curb land hoarding, boost urban land availability and support development priorities.

    Key provisions include an annual white land tax of up to 10%, with zones graded between 10% and 2.5%; a vacant building fee of up to 5%, potentially rising to 10%, subject to approval by Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers; and the classification of cities according to supply-demand conditions and development needs. 

    The white land tax is likely to have a dual effect. It should prompt some landowners to bring idle plots into development, sell to active developers or enter into partnerships, thereby alleviating a long-standing structural bottleneck in Riyadh and other major cities. At the same time, it introduces a new cost for holding undeveloped land, which will need to be priced into feasibility studies and could initially push some asking prices higher as owners seek to pass on part of the burden.

    Over time, if enforcement is seen as consistent and predictable, the white land tax could help normalise more active land markets and support the private sector’s expanded delivery role. But 2026 is likely to be a transitional year, with a mix of opportunistic sales, legal challenges and recalibrated land valuations.

    The government has also intervened directly in the rental market, most notably with a rent freeze in Riyadh. 

    In response to double-digit rent increases in some districts, driven by non-oil growth, gigaprojects and corporate relocations, the authorities have imposed a five-year suspension of annual rent increases for residential and commercial leases in the capital.

    For tenants, the freeze offers immediate relief and increases predictability, particularly for middle-income households and small businesses exposed to volatile rents. It also serves as a counterweight to fears that opening the market to foreign buyers in 2026 will drive another surge in rental prices.

    For investors and developers, however, the impact is more challenging. Compressed rental growth in Riyadh reduces the upside on income-producing assets, especially where financing structures assumed steady nominal increases. 

    Running alongside these regulatory reforms is a quieter but significant development in real estate finance: the launch of Saudi Arabia’s first residential mortgage-backed securities by PIF subsidiary the Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company. This new asset class aims to enhance liquidity in the housing finance market and diversify investment opportunities.

    In the longer term, a thriving, diversified real estate sector underpinned by such instruments can support the development of a broader ecosystem of mortgage issuers, servicers and investors, reducing systemic risk and broadening access to housing finance.

    As the kingdom takes deliberate steps to open its market to foreign buyers, mobilise idle land, protect tenants and strengthen financial infrastructure, much will depend on execution. If the new foreign ownership rules are applied effectively, 2026 could mark the start of a more sustainable, private sector-led growth phase. If not, uncertainty could dampen the very investment the reforms aim to attract. 

    READ: Investors focus on residential sector for new deals

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    Colin Foreman