Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jan 16, 2026

0:00
0:00

Foreign or joint capital makes up 39% of Saudi industrial investments

The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has revealed on Sunday that foreign or joint capital investments represent about 39 percent of the total investments in the industrial sector in the Kingdom. It also revealed that the total number of existing and under construction factories until the end of last May reached 15 percent.
The ministry said that these percentages confirm Saudi Arabia's ability to attract quality investments in various economic activities.

As for the factories with foreign investment in Saudi Arabia, the ministry stated that their number reached 839 factories by the end of May 2022, representing approximately 8 percent of the total number of factories, with investments estimated at more than SR65 billion.

The number of joint venture factories in Saudi Arabia reached about 787 factories, which constitute 7 percent of the total factories, with investments estimated at more than SR464 billion.

While the number of national factories reached 9,049, constituting 85 percent of the total number of factories, with an estimated investment volume of SR832 billion.

Foreign investments in the Kingdom were concentrated in several major industrial activities, the ministry said, noting that the first of these is the manufacture of formed metal products, which reached 157 factories.

While the factories specialized in the manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products reached 99 factories, followed by the activity of manufacturing rubber and plastic products with 87 factories.

As for the activity of manufacturing chemicals and chemical products, the number of factories working in this sector has reached 71 factories, while the activity of the food products industry is 62 factories.

The ministry said that foreign investments in the activity of making base metals amounted to 60 factories, while factories that specialize in manufacturing machinery and equipment account for 55 factories.

The activity of furniture-making reached 53 factories, then the activity of manufacturing electrical equipment was recorded with 45 factories, and the activity of transformative industries amounted to 28 factories.

Small factories constitute the largest percentage of the total foreign investment in the sector by about 54 percent, the ministry said, adding that medium factories constitute 39 percent of the sector, while large factories have reached 7 percent.

As for the regions that have the largest percentage of factories in Saudi Arabia, the ministry noted that the Riyadh region has the highest proportion of the total number of foreign factories in the Kingdom with 410 factories, followed by 196 factories in the Makkah region, and then the Eastern Province (Al-Sharqiyah) with 170 factories.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
Strategic Restraint, Credible Force, and the Discipline of Power
Donald Trump Organization Unveils Championship Golf Course and Luxury Resort Project in Saudi Arabia
Inside Diriyah: Saudi Arabia’s $63.2 Billion Vision to Transform Its Historic Heart into a Global Tourism Powerhouse
Trump Designates Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally, Elevating US–Riyadh Defense Partnership
Trump Organization Deepens Saudi Property Focus with $10 Billion Luxury Developments
There is no sovereign immunity for poisoning millions with drugs.
Mohammed bin Salman’s Global Standing: Strategic Partner in Transition Amid Debate Over His Role
Saudi Arabia Opens Property Market to Foreign Buyers in Landmark Reform
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
CNN’s Ranking of Israel’s Women’s Rights Sparks Debate After Misleading Global Index Comparison
Saudi Arabia’s Shifting Regional Alignment Raises Strategic Concerns in Jerusalem
OPEC+ Holds Oil Output Steady Amid Member Tensions and Market Oversupply
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
President Trump Says United States Will Administer Venezuela Until a Secure Leadership Transition
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Saudi-UAE Rift Adds Complexity to Middle East Diplomacy as Trump Signals Firm Leadership
OPEC+ to Keep Oil Output Policy Unchanged Despite Saudi-UAE Tensions Over Yemen
Saudi Arabia and UAE at Odds in Yemen Conflict as Southern Offensive Deepens Gulf Rift
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Why Saudi Arabia May Recalibrate Its US Spending Commitments Amid Rising China–America Rivalry
Riyadh Air’s First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Completes Initial Test Flight, Advancing Saudi Carrier’s Launch
Saudi Arabia’s 2025: A Pivotal Year of Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
Saudi Arabia to Introduce Sugar-Content Based Tax on Sweetened Drinks from January 2026
Saudi Hotels Prepare for New Hospitality Roles as Alcohol Curbs Ease
Global Airports Forum Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Emergence as a Leading Aviation Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia Weighs Strategic Choice on Iran Amid Regional Turbulence
Not Only F-35s: Saudi Arabia to Gain Access to the World’s Most Sensitive Technology
Saudi Arabia Condemns Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting and Expresses Solidarity with Australia
Washington Watches Beijing–Riyadh Rapprochement as Strategic Balance Shifts
Saudi Arabia Urges Stronger Partnerships and Efficient Aid Delivery at OCHA Donor Support Meeting in Geneva
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Drives Measurable Lift in Global Reputation and Influence
Alcohol Policies Vary Widely Across Muslim-Majority Countries, With Many Permitting Consumption Under Specific Rules
Saudi Arabia Clarifies No Formal Ban on Photography at Holy Mosques for Hajj 2026
Libya and Saudi Arabia Sign Strategic MoU to Boost Telecommunications Cooperation
Elon Musk’s xAI Announces Landmark 500-Megawatt AI Data Center in Saudi Arabia
Israel Moves to Safeguard Regional Stability as F-35 Sales Debate Intensifies
Cardi B to Make Historic Saudi Arabia Debut at Soundstorm 2025 Festival
U.S. Democratic Lawmakers Raise National Security and Influence Concerns Over Paramount’s Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
Wall Street Analysts Clash With Riyadh Over Saudi Arabia’s Deficit Outlook
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Cement $1 Trillion-Plus Deals in High-Profile White House Summit
Saudi Arabia Opens Alcohol Sales to Wealthy Non-Muslim Residents Under New Access Rules
U.S.–Saudi Rethink Deepens — Washington Moves Ahead Without Linking Riyadh to Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia and Israel Deprioritise Diplomacy: Normalisation No Longer a Middle-East Priority
Saudi Arabia Positions Itself as the Backbone of the Global AI Era
×