meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Region remains global project finance hotspot

25 October 2024

 

This package also includes: PPP activity eases back but remains strong

While the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region has recently become the focus of global attentions for all the wrong reasons – amid surging conflict in the Levant – advisers continue to see the adjacent Gulf as a standout market for project finance.

“The Middle East market has been buoyant compared to the project finance market in many other parts of the world,” says Matthew Escritt, a partner at the UAE office of law firm Pinsent Masons, who has advised on large regional financings. 

“By far and away, the Middle East is the place to be if you want to do big-ticket project finance.”

Major deals such as the $6.1bn financing for Neom Green Hydrogen Company, which closed in 2023, affirm the region’s continued affinity with large and sometimes complex transactions that involve senior and mezzanine facilities and bring numerous financial institutions into the mix.

The use of project finance structures across a widening array of sectors – from hard and soft infrastructure, to newer asset classes such as green energy – suggests that the Middle East will remain a hotspot for funding activity.

Ratings agency S&P Global has forecast that alongside the energy sector, the region will see significant investments in transport and social infrastructure, as well as in digitalisation, with large outlays on connectivity and a doubling of data centre capacity as the region’s population continues to grow.

Regional reconfiguration

While the Mena region as a whole has seen an uptick in activity, the picture is not even.

“Activity in Saudi Arabia has seen something of a slowdown after it became clear that some of the kingdom’s more ambitious plans were being recalibrated,” says Escritt.

“Liquidity has become tighter and we’re finding that procurers are taking longer to announce their preferred bidder.”

Appetite among international banks has been weaker for some sectors, such as social infrastructure. 

Neom’s large green hydrogen financing of 2023 remains a standout rather than the norm, although local lenders appear ready to step into the breach when circumstances allow. For example, in April of this year, when Neom secured a $2.7bn revolving credit facility to cover short-term financing requirements, it was nine local banks that ended up providing the financing.  It was, according to Neom CEO Nadhim Al-Nasr, a “natural fit” within the company’s wider funding structure.

International banks’ interest remains fixed on energy sector and infrastructure projects. Outside of these, says Escritt, the project finance market is dominated by large local banks. This, he says, has contributed to a tighter liquidity environment as these financial institutions run up against exposure limits. “The key to unlocking that market’s undoubted potential is to create conditions that improve the appetite of foreign lenders for Saudi Arabian credits,” says Escritt.

International lenders’ comfort zones were once largely focused on massive financings such as the kingdom’s Sadara petrochemicals project, which in 2013 drew commitments of $12.5bn.  

“Frankly, the days of the Sadara blockbuster-type projects are over. But there’s still some substantial projects out there,” says John Dewar, a partner at international law firm Milbank, which specialises in energy and infrastructure financings.

Dewar points out that there are still a fair number of $2bn-$4bn projects in the region, but that it is more challenging to syndicate larger scales of debt. Even export credit agency (ECA) support is not a given in the Mena region.

“Even if they’ve got large export content in them, it’s still more difficult to get them mobilised into oil and gas financings, for example. The ECAs are pulling back from those types of deals,” says Dewar. “Petrochemicals is slightly easier, but nonetheless, over the next couple of years we will see fewer agency lenders involved in the petrochemicals sector than we have at the moment.”

The UAE – Abu Dhabi in particular – remains a bright spot in the region.  

 “Abu Dhabi has shown that it is very good at getting things done,” says Escritt, whose team helped bring the Khalifa University student accommodation public-private partnership project to financial close – another significant social infrastructure project in the UAE capital. 

“There’s a strong appetite among the major project finance players for Abu Dhabi risk – they like it. 

“You are also now seeing the larger local banks stepping into this space, with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and First Abu Dhabi Bank in particular showing appetite for these credits,” says Escritt.

The Qatari market has proved more sluggish, although the Al-Wakra and Wukair independent sewage treatment plant project – the country’s first – has seen progress this year with a $540m financing on a 75:25 debt-to-equity ratio basis, including a soft mini-perm structure.

Emergent energy markets

Energy has traditionally been a magnet for project financing in the Mena region and should support one of the emerging areas within that segment – carbon capture and storage (CCS), which is an area of focus for regional oil companies.

Saudi Aramco’s first phase of its Accelerated Carbon Capture and Sequestration project is expected to be the world’s largest CCS hub upon completion. Aramco aims to transport and capture 9 million tonnes a year of emissions by 2027 in its first phase.

Carbon-capture financing could prove an attractive opportunity for banks, swelling the liquidity that is already there for hydrogen schemes.

Lender appetite has increased for these new energy schemes. “[Saudi Arabia] had a large splash on solar power recently with Acwa Power financings, while Saudi Aramco will have relatively large financing requirements for its energy transition projects. The [kingdom is] now still very much focused on project finance transactions,” says Dewar.

With Oman pushing green hydrogen projects in Duqm and Dhofar, and Egypt backing an ambitious renewables programme under a structure that investors have found to be attractive and bankable, project financing should make more headway in the low-carbon space across the region. 

In renewables, there is more depth in the market and more lenders willing to participate, although as law firm AO Shearman has noted, there remains a deficiency in bankability and unpredictable development costs in green hydrogen schemes.

This piqued interest in non-fossil fuel project funding contrasts with the reduced appetite globally among banks for traditional hydrocarbons schemes. “If you’re looking at oil and gas financing, then it’s increasingly a struggle outside of some of the Chinese banks,” says Dewar. “That’s not to say that in the Middle East there aren’t still a number of local and regional banks that are happy to participate in the market.”

Government support will remain critical in getting centrepiece financings under way in areas such as green hydrogen. And, as AO Shearman notes, given the nature of the supply chain for green hydrogen projects, there is value in including ECA-supported debt in the financing mix. In particular, where Mena projects involve key equipment coming in from outside the region, ECAs have an important role to play in building confidence.

ECAs remain a mainstay in traditional Gulf downstream sectors such as petrochemicals. For example, South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction has tapped $1bn of project financing support from the Export-Import Bank of Korea for the Amiral petrochemicals project in Saudi Arabia. As the lone South Korean contractor deployed on the estimated $7bn scheme, it therefore enjoys sole access to this project financing facility.

Project sponsors will also be looking to capital market instruments, despite these losing favour in recent years as the global
interest-rate environment rendered proposed bond components in project financings less appealing to many.

With the US Federal Reserve in a gradual monetary easing cycle, however, the use of project-related bonds may begin to revive.

For example, Saudi Aramco has managed to complete some large gas pipeline financings using acquisition facilities that were refinanced in the bond and sukuk markets.

“As the interest-rate environment changes, that’s going to get more people thinking about bond refinancing activity. We’ll see a bit more in a year’s time, when interest rates have come down and investors readjust and start to look for more attractive yields,” says Dewar.

With a different interest-rate climate in place, and more lenders and project backers gaining experience in the new energy schemes that are emerging in the Gulf and the wider Mena region, the hope is that banks will be dipping back into the region with transactions that will maintain its status as the global project finance hotspot for a while longer.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/12678172/main.gif
James Gavin

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

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Kuwait receives bids for Al-Khairan phase one IWPP

    2 June 2026

     

    Two developer consortiums have submitted bids for the first phase of Kuwait’s Al-Khairan independent water and power producer (IWPP) project, according to a source.

    Bids were received by the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (Kapp) on 1 June.

    The facility will have a capacity of 1,800MW and 150,000 cubic metres a day of desalinated water. It will be located in Al-Khairan, adjacent to the Al-Zour South thermal plant. 

    The bidders include:

    • Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) / A H Al-Sagar & Brothers (Saudi Arabia) 
    • Acwa (Saudi Arabia) / Gulf Investment Corporation (Kuwait)

    The Al-Khairan IWPP is being procured by Kapp in partnership with the Ministry of Electricity, Water & Renewable Energy (MEWRE).

    The main contract was tendered last September. Three consortiums and two individual companies were previously prequalified to participate in the tender.

    Ernst & Young, BNP Paribas, AtkinsRealis and Addleshaw Goddard are financial advisers on the project. Chadbourne & Parke is acting as legal adviser.

    The winning bidder will sign a set of public-private partnership agreements covering financing, design, construction, operation and transfer of the project. The energy conversion and water-purchase agreement is expected to cover a 25-year supply period.

    Future phases

    The Al-Khairan IWPP project is expected to run on low-sulphur fuel oil as the primary fuel and to accommodate crude oil, gas oil and natural gas as backup fuels. Future phases will further expand capacity.

    It is understood that the estimated $750m second phase of the Al-Khairan IWPP project will add a further 1,800MW of generation capacity through a combined-cycle gas-fired power plant.

    The project, first mooted over a decade ago, remains in the early development stages, with no plans currently to advance to procurement in 2026, a source said.

    According to the source, the immediate focus is on advancing plans for the 3,600MW Nuwaiseeb power and water desalination IWPP project.

    The Nuwaiseeb IWPP plant will have a desalination capacity of 75 million imperial gallons a day.

    Kapp plans to release a transaction advisory tender for the project by the end of the year.

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

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17072685/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Doosan confirms Saudi Jafurah 2 cogen contract

    2 June 2026

    South Korea’s Doosan Enerbility has confirmed it has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract worth about $556m for the second phase of the Jafurah combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Saudi Arabia.

    The project is being developed by Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) in partnership with Saudi Aramco.

    Doosan said the contract covers design, equipment supply, installation, construction and commissioning of the facility.

    The Jafurah CHP phase 2 project will be built near the Jafurah gas field, about 400 kilometres east of Riyadh. Once operational, it will generate 330MW of electricity and produce 465 tonnes of steam an hour for the nearby gas field.

    According to the firm, the project’s main steam turbine will be supplied by Doosan Skoda Power, a subsidiary of Doosan Enerbility.

    WSP is acting as the project management consultant for the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2029.

    The Jafurah gas development is part of Aramco’s $3.2bn unconventional resources programme, which aims to develop shale gas in three areas. Jafurah lies southeast of Ghawar, the world’s largest conventional oil field.

    The programme is part of Riyadh’s plans under Vision 20230 to ensure the kingdom remains self-sufficient in gas supply amid rising demand from the residential and industrial power sectors.

    Jafurah phase one

    In February 2025, MEED exclusively reported that talks were under way to expand the capacity of the $500m Jafurah cogeneration independent steam and power plant (ISPP).

    Construction works were completed on the facility last November.

    At the time of its procurement, the plant’s first phase was to have a power capacity of 270-320MW, and a low-pressure (LP) steam demand of 77-166 thousand pounds an hour (klb/hr) and high-pressure (HP) steam demand of 29-126 klb/hour by 2023.

    The LP and HP steam demand will increase to 283-373 klb/hr and 66-321 klb/hr by 2027, respectively.

    The oil giant issued the letter of award to Kepco for the contract to develop the Jafurah ISPP scheme in July 2022.

    Kepco subsequently awarded South Korea’s Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction the project’s EPC contract.

    US/India-based Synergy Consulting provided financial advisory services to Kepco on its bid.

    Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) served as the client’s financial adviser for the project. Germany’s Fichtner Consulting Engineers is technical consultant, while the UK’s Wood Group is project management consultant.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17072199/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Al-Mabanee submits lowest bids for Kuwait infrastructure

    2 June 2026

    Kuwait’s Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) has opened commercial bids for two major infrastructure and public buildings packages at South Al-Mutlaa Residential City.

    Local firm Al-Mabanee United Company has emerged as the lowest bidder for both contracts, submitting combined offers worth KD44m. Both packages entail the construction, completion and maintenance of services, infrastructure works and public buildings for different district centres within the city.

    The first contract covers the infrastructure and public buildings for the N3 District Centre. PAHW received proposals from eight bidders, with Al-Mabanee United Company submitting the lowest price at KD20.9m. The second-lowest offer was submitted by The Contractor General Trading & Contracting Company at KD22.4m, followed by Golden Engineering Group for General Trading & Contracting at KD22.7m, though Golden Engineering Group was flagged for not providing a bid bond.

    Al-Khonaini General Trading & Contracting Company, operating as Inshat Al-Khonaini, ranked fourth with a bid of KD22.7m, followed closely by Kuwait Industrial Centre Company at KD22.8m. Combined Group Contracting Company submitted a bid of KD23.8m, Al-Dar Engineering & Construction Company bid KD25.7m, and China’s Sichuan Road & Bridge Group Corporation submitted the highest active proposal at KD29m. 

    The second contract is for identical infrastructure and public building works at the N1 District Centre. Al-Mabanee United Company submitted the lowest bid of KD22.8m. Its closest competitor was The Contractor General Trading & Contracting Company, which submitted an offer of KD23.9m.

    Al-Khonaini General Trading & Contracting Company came in third with a bid of KD24.2m, followed by Kuwait Industrial Centre Company at KD24.4m and Golden Engineering Group for General Trading & Contracting at KD24.4m. Combined Group Contracting Company placed a bid of KD26m, Al-Dar Engineering & Construction Company bid KD26.5m, and United Construction Company, known as Al-Inshat Al-Muttahida, submitted an offer of KD 30.9m. Al-Ghanim International General Trading & Contracting filed the highest bid at KD344m and was also noted for lacking a bid bond.

    South Mutlaa Residential City is a large-scale planned development designed to accommodate around 400,000 residents in a modern, fully serviced urban environment. Once completed, it will offer contemporary housing alongside extensive logistical services and a wide range of public and commercial areas, including hospitals, schools and other social services.

    The project also includes major infrastructure works such as approximately 150 kilometres of roads and related structures, lighting and other public works, as well as integrated systems for water distribution, rainwater collection and sewage. In addition, it will provide the civil infrastructure needed for electricity distribution, telecommunications networks and traffic control to support a well-connected, functional city.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17071938/main.gif
    Colin Foreman
  • Local developer secures finance for three Riyadh projects

    2 June 2026

    Qimam Noshoz for Real Estate Development Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Banan Real Estate Company, has signed a sharia-compliant credit facility agreement worth SR84m ($22.4m) with Riyad Bank to fund three commercial, hospitality and sports developments in the kingdom.

    The financing agreement is split into two distinct tranches to align with the projects’ development timelines. The first tranche consists of SR49m with a maturity duration of seven years, while the remaining SR35m has been secured for an eight-year term.

    Qimam Noshoz will utilise the capital to fund construction works for the Al-Rahmaniyah Gem and Al-Wadi District Gem projects. Both of these projects are already leased to the fitness operator Armah Sports Company. The other project is an independent hotel located within the Al-Wadi District.

    The Al-Wadi development is designed as an integrated commercial complex spanning approximately 7,818.5 square metres of land, with a built-up area of about 975 square metres. It includes a men’s gym, a women’s gym and a hotel building.

    The Al-Rahmaniyah project is an integrated commercial development combining fitness facilities with retail. The asset features men’s and women’s gyms operating alongside an independent commercial zone.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17071628/main.jpg
    Colin Foreman
  • SLB wins $385m contract for Kuwait oil research centre

    2 June 2026

    Schlumberger Oilfield Eastern, a unit of the US-headquartered oilfield services company SLB, has been awarded a KD118m ($385m) contract to develop an oil and gas research centre in Kuwait.

    The contract was awarded by the state-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), according to a report by Kuwait’s Al-Rai newspaper.

    The Ahmadi Innovation Valley (AIV) project is planned as an advanced research and innovation hub equipped with specialised facilities and technical teams focused on applied research for Kuwait’s oil and gas sector.

    The contract was awarded after the Higher Purchase Committee (HPC) of Kuwait’s national oil and gas company Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) determined the bid to be compliant with the project’s technical and commercial requirements.

    In February 2025, KOC signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with five international oilfield service companies to support the development of the AIV initiative.

    These companies were:

    • SLB (US)
    • Baker Hughes (US)
    • Weatherford (US)
    • Halliburton (US)
    • National Energy Services Reunited (US)

    Under the preliminary agreements, each of the five companies agreed to establish a world-class research and development centre at the project site, focused on helping KOC meet challenges in the upstream sector.

    KOC’s CEO Ahmad Jaber Al-Eidan had said in February 2025 that the project will enable Kuwait to keep pace with global transformations while investing in advanced technologies to ensure the sector’s sustainability and achieve operational excellence.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17063475/main.gif
    Wil Crisp