Saudi Arabia launches 200 PPP projects
6 April 2023
Saudi Arabia has announced a Privatisation & PPP (P&PPP) pipeline that includes 200 projects across 17 sectors.
This new P&PPP pipeline aims to attract local and international investors and ensure their readiness to participate in the schemes tendered to the market.
The initiative comes as the kingdom strives to increase the attractiveness of its economy and raise the private sector's contribution to GDP.
Minister of Finance and chairman of the Board of the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP), Mohammed al-Jadaan, said the list of projects aligns with the aims of Vision 2030, reinforces the strength of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and will contribute to attracting new international investments.
The pipeline of projects for each sector will be available for investors through the NCP portal.
Information about the first 140 projects has already been published, and more projects are expected soon.
Four PPP airports projects
In line with Saudi Arabia's aviation strategy to increase the country’s annual passenger handling capacity to 330 million by 2030, the kingdom has announced plans to tender four airports under the P&PPP pipeline: Abha International airport, Taif International airport, Hail International airport and Prince Naif International airport in Al-Qassim.
The Ministry of Transport & Logistics Services will procure the schemes.
The launch dates for the PPP tenders were not specified. However, MEED reported in July 2022 that through NCP, Saudi Arabia’s Matarat Holding Company was expected to start the procurement process to develop airport PPP projects in 2023.
In the initial plan, the Abha and Taif airport PPPs were scheduled to be tendered in the first half of 2023, while the Hail and Qassim airport projects were to be potentially tendered in the second half of 2023.
The P&PPP pipeline list includes:
Abha International airport
The existing Abha International airport is operating above capacity with 4.4 million passengers annually against the originally designed capacity of 1.5 million. The targeted capacity for the new airport is 8.5 million passengers a year by 2030 and 13 million passengers by 2053. The contract type is the build-transfer-operate (BTO) model and the project duration is 30 years.
Taif International airport
The capacity of the current Taif International airport is 600,000 passengers. The targeted capacity of the new airport is 4 million passengers by 2030 and 7.4 million passengers by 2053. The project will be developed under the design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) concession; its duration is 30 years.
Hail International airport
This project aims to develop the airport and service facilities following the standards approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The targeted airport capacity increase is 3 million passengers a year. The contract type, duration and launch details are not specified.
Prince Naif International airport in Al-Qassim
The scheme involves developing the airport in Al-Qassim in line with ICAO standards and increasing its capacity to 5.3 million passengers annually. The contract type, duration and launch details are not specified.
The Taif, Hail and Al-Qassim airport schemes were previously tendered and awarded as PPP projects using a BTO model.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) awarded the contracts to develop four airport PPP projects to two consortiums in 2017. A team of Tukey’s TAV Airports and the local Al-Rajhi Holding Group won the 30-year concession agreement to build, transfer and operate airport passenger terminals in Yanbu, Qassim and Hail.
A second team, comprising Lebanon’s Consolidated Contractors Company, Germany’s Munich Airport International and local firm Asyad Group, won the BTO contract to develop Taif International airport.
These projects then stalled following the restructuring of the kingdom’s aviation sector.
Saudi Arabia has already privatised airports including the $1.2bn Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International airport in Medina, which was developed as a PPP and opened in 2015.
Four PPP highways schemes
The kingdom has also announced plans to tender four highway schemes under the P&PPP pipeline. The following schemes will be procured by the Ministry of Transport & Logistic Services:
- The 136-kilometre Asir-Jizan highway will include six intersections, 18km of bridges and a 9km-long tunnel network. The project starts at Al-Farah in Asir and extends to the Red Sea through Jizan. The contract type is DFBOM, and the project duration is 30 years. The launch date is not specified.
- The 570km Jeddah-Jizan highway will comprise 43 intersections, 11 wildlife crossings and 29 bridges. The project scope includes converting the current 280km of double lanes into three lanes. The contract model is not specified; the project duration is 30 years.
- The 447km Yanbu-Jubail highway will contain 17 intersections, 14 wildlife crossings, four bridges, one tunnel and 18 service areas. Construction work on a 39km section towards the Al-Zulfi area has been completed. The contract model, duration and launch date are not specified.
- The Jeddah-Makkah road spans a length of 64km. It consists of seven interchanges and four camel crossings. The construction is under way for 51km of the road and is being carried out in three phases. The construction works for phase four are yet to begin. The construction cost for phase four of the road will be funded by the government, similar to the ongoing construction works for phases one to three. The proposed scope of work is for the operation and maintenance of the Jeddah-Makkah road, and developing and operating motorway service areas. The contract's duration and the tender's launch date are not specified.
Other planned PPP projects
Saudi Arabia has also announced plans to tender seven PPP desalination projects.
The independent water projects (IWPs) represent an aggregate desalination capacity of 2.8 million cubic metres a day (cm/d). Owned by the Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture, the IWPs will be procured under 25-year build-own-operate (BOO) contracts.
The first project, Ras al-Khair 2 with a capacity of 600,000 cm/d, will be launched in February 2024.
This will be followed by the launch of another IWP, the 400,000 cm/d Ras al-Khair 3, in April 2024.
In March 2025, the kingdom plans to launch the Tabuk IWP with a capacity of 400,000 cm/d. The Alshuqaiq 4 IWP is set for launch in July 2025, with a capacity of 400,000 cm/d.
These schemes will be followed by the Rabigh 5 IWP, with a capacity of 400,000 cm/d, to be launched in April 2027, and the Rayis 2 IWP, with a capacity of 300,000 cm/d, set for launch in July 2035.
Finally, the Jizan IWP is set to have a capacity of 300,000 cm/d. Its launch date is not yet disclosed.
In addition, the kingdom plans to tender six wastewater treatment projects starting in 2024. The five independent sewage treatment plants (ISTPs), one small sewage treatment plant (SSTP) and collection network will treat wastewater for reuse in non-agricultural municipal and industrial applications.
The five ISTPs represent an aggregate wastewater treatment capacity of 650,000 cm/d.
The Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture will procure the projects under build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) models.
Other projects to be tendered under the P&PPP pipeline include several medical centres, health centres, hospitals, educational buildings, schools, colleges, universities, strategic water reservoirs, marine services schemes, land ports and power stations.
Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.
Exclusive from Meed
-
Sports Boulevard tenders Wadi Hanifa road works23 April 2026
-
Masdar to develop renewables projects in Montenegro23 April 2026
-
Qiddiya sets new deadline for infrastructure package23 April 2026
-
Detailed design progressing for major Iraqi oil project23 April 2026
-
Libya brings gas pipeline online23 April 2026
All of this is only 1% of what MEED.com has to offer
Subscribe now and unlock all the 153,671 articles on MEED.com
- All the latest news, data, and market intelligence across MENA at your fingerprints
- First-hand updates and inside information on projects, clients and competitors that matter to you
- 20 years' archive of information, data, and news for you to access at your convenience
- Strategize to succeed and minimise risks with timely analysis of current and future market trends
Related Articles
-
Sports Boulevard tenders Wadi Hanifa road works
23 April 2026
Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access
Saudi Arabia’s Sports Boulevard Foundation has issued a tender inviting firms to bid for a contract to build a road and associated infrastructure in the Wadi Hanifa area of Riyadh.
The bid submission deadline is 27 April.
The scope includes construction of an 11.4-kilometre road and associated infrastructure, including public realm works, utilities and security systems.
The scheme is the latest package to progress on Riyadh’s Sports Boulevard project.
The Sports Boulevard Foundation is also evaluating bids for its Global Sports Tower in the development’s Athletics District.
The 130-metre-tall Global Sports Tower will have a gross floor area of 84,000 square metres (sq m) and will include more than 30 sports facilities. The tower will feature what is billed as the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall, at 98 metres, and a 250-metre running track.
Sports Boulevard will run across Riyadh from east to west. Once complete, it is intended to be the world’s longest park, stretching more than 135 kilometres.
The project is divided into multiple districts, including the Wadi Hanifah, Arts, Urban Wadi, Entertainment, Athletics and Eco districts, as well as Sands Sports Park.
The large-scale development aims to transform central Riyadh – currently dominated by major highways – into a recreational corridor.
Sports Boulevard will include 4.4 million sq m of public realm and landmark buildings. Along with the Global Sports Tower, there will be a Centre for Cinematic Arts and a 2,000-seat amphitheatre.
It will also deliver more than 2.3 million sq m of mixed-use commercial, residential and retail space, alongside sports facilities, around the park, known as the Linear Park.
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16534345/main.jpg -
Masdar to develop renewables projects in Montenegro
23 April 2026
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) have agreed to establish a 50:50 joint venture to develop and operate renewable energy projects in Montenegro.
The planned projects include solar photovoltaic (PV), wind, hydropower, pumped-hydro storage and battery energy storage systems.
The joint venture will be headquartered in Niksic in western Montenegro and is intended to support Montenegro’s domestic energy needs while also enabling the export of renewable electricity to the Western Balkans and Southern Europe, Masdar said in a statement.
The companies plan to leverage an existing sub-sea interconnection with Italy. Montenegro is connected to Italy via a 600MW HVDC submarine cable, enabling electricity exports to the Italian market.
Masdar has an existing presence in Montenegro through its investment in the 72MW Krnovo wind farm.
The developer has recently accelerated foreign investment plans as part of its broader expansion. In April, it signed a binding agreement with France’s TotalEnergies to establish a $2.2bn joint venture to develop, build and operate renewable energy projects across Asia.
The combined business will have 3GW of operational capacity and 6GW of projects in advanced development, targeted for commissioning by 2030.
Masdar is targeting a global renewable energy portfolio of 100GW by 2030. It recently reached 65GW, two-thirds of the way to that target.
The company plans to deploy an additional $30bn-$35bn in equity and project finance by 2030, adding an average of 10GW of new capacity each year.
This expansion will be funded through a mix of equity, green bonds and long-term project financing.
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16534112/main.jpg -
Qiddiya sets new deadline for infrastructure package
23 April 2026
Saudi gigaproject developer Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has set a 13 May deadline for bids for a contract covering new infrastructure works at Qiddiya Entertainment City.
The scope comprises two infrastructure development packages for District 0 of Qiddiya Entertainment City, including the construction of four event park-and-ride facilities.
The tender was issued on 11 March, with an initial bid submission deadline of 22 April.
Lebanese firm Dar Al-Handasah and Saudi-based Sets International are serving as project consultants.
QIC is accelerating plans to develop additional assets at Qiddiya City. Earlier this month, the company received prequalification statements from firms for the engineering, procurement, construction and finance package for the Qiddiya high-speed rail project.
MEED has also reported that QIC received bids from contractors on 23 February for a SR980m ($261m) contract covering the construction of staff accommodation at Qiddiya Entertainment City.
The project will cover an area of more than 105,000 square metres (sq m).
Also in February, QIC started the main construction works on its performing arts centre at the entertainment hub.
The Qiddiya City performing arts centre is one of several major projects within the greater Qiddiya development. Other projects include an e-games arena, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a motorsports track, the Dragon Ball and Six Flags theme parks, and Aquarabia.
QIC officially opened the Six Flags theme park to the public in December last year.
The park covers 320,000 sq m and features 28 rides and attractions, including 10 thrill rides and 18 aimed at families and young children.
The Qiddiya project is a key part of Riyadh’s strategy to boost leisure tourism in the kingdom. According to UK analytics firm GlobalData, leisure tourism in Saudi Arabia has experienced significant growth in recent years.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector posted record figures last year, with more than 130 million domestic and international visitors – a 6% increase on 2024.
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16533776/main.jpg -
Detailed design progressing for major Iraqi oil project
23 April 2026
Detailed design work is progressing on Iraq’s 950-kilometre seawater pipeline network under the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP), according to industry sources.
They added that on-site construction would begin only after the detailed design is complete.
Iraq’s state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC) and China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering (CPP) signed a $2.5bn contract for the pipeline package in September last year.
The project is being supervised by Austria’s ILF Consulting Engineers.
The pipeline package is one of two main CSSP packages.
The second focuses on a seawater treatment facility, expected to have a capacity of 5 million barrels a day (b/d), potentially rising to 7-8 million b/d in later phases.
Processed water will be injected into some of Iraq’s largest oil fields – Rumaila, Zubair, West Qurna 1, West Qurna 2 and Majnoon – and also used in the Maysan and Dhi Qar fields.
Iraq’s Oil Ministry said the injected water will help maintain reservoir pressure and sustain crude production.
CPP is a subsidiary of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation.
TotalEnergies is responsible for the CSSP as part of the larger $27bn Gas Growth Integrated Project.
Iraq approved a $2.45bn contract with South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) in August last year for the engineering, procurement and construction of the seawater treatment plant.
Over recent weeks, Iraq’s oil exports have collapsed by about 80% due to fallout from the US and Israel’s war with Iran.
READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDFEconomic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
> AGENDA: Gulf economies under fire> GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift> MARKET FOCUS: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift> QATAR LNG: Qatar’s new $8bn investment heats up global LNG race> LEADERSHIP: Shaping the future of passenger rail in the Middle EastTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16527404/main.jpg -
Libya brings gas pipeline online
23 April 2026
Libya’s state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) has brought a gas pipeline online that will allow it to reduce flaring and increase production, according to a statement issued by the company.
The 42-inch pipeline, which connects the Al-Intisar field and the Brega gas distribution system, has entered the “experimental operation” stage, according to NOC.
This follows the completion of connection works.
The pipeline is expected to allow the collection of 150 million standard cubic feet a day of gas, which was previously flared at the oil and gas field.
The pipeline is expected to debottleneck hydrocarbon flows at the oil and gas field and increase production levels.
Prior to the pipeline recently being brought online, completion of the project had stalled for 16 years.
Stakeholders are expecting a surge in oil and gas project activity in Libya after the country’s rival legislative bodies recently approved a unified state budget for the first time in more than 13 years.
The Central Bank of Libya confirmed on 11 April that both chambers had endorsed the budget, saying that it was a key step towards restoring financial stability after prolonged division.
The budget is valued at LD190bn ($29.95bn), and LD12bn ($1.9bn) has been allocated to the NOC.
An additional LD40bn ($6.3bn) has been allocated for “development projects”.
Libya has stated that a joint committee has been formed to help prioritise development projects, and the projects have been listed in the budget.
The development comes at a time when Libya’s oil and gas sector could be positioned to make windfall revenues as oil and gas prices remain high due to fallout from the US and Israel’s war with Iran.
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16527327/main.jpg