Saudi Arabia's industrial production index reported a year-on-year increase of 1.3% in January 2024, based on data from the General Authority for Statistics.

This growth was primarily attributed to advancements in the manufacturing and waste management sectors.

The industrial production index held steady month-on-month at a level of 103.9, remaining consistent with figures recorded in December.

The manufacturing sub-index experienced a notable annual increase of 4%, propelled by a 4.3% rise in the production of coke and refined petroleum products and a 4.2% increase in chemicals and chemical products.

In contrast, the mining and quarrying sector saw a slight decline of 0.4% when compared to January 2023, primarily due to a reduction in oil production, which decreased to 8.92 million barrels per day from 8.96 million barrels a year prior.

In line with its Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to reduce the Kingdom's dependence on oil, Saudi Arabia is intensifying its efforts to diversify the economy.

The industrial and manufacturing sectors are central to this strategy, with initiatives such as the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program designed to position the Kingdom as a regional hub for advanced manufacturing, particularly in fields such as petrochemicals, mining, and renewable energy.

From a monthly perspective, the manufacturing sub-index saw a growth of 0.3%, fueled by a 0.1% increase in coke and refined petroleum products and a 0.5% rise in chemicals and chemical products.

Meanwhile, the mining and quarrying sub-index registered a marginal uptick of 0.1%.

Detailed analysis of other manufacturing sectors presented a varied performance.

The non-metallic mineral products sector achieved a significant annual growth of 6.9% and a monthly rise of 1.7%.

The production of basic metals, however, declined by 0.7% year-on-year but experienced a monthly increase of 0.5%.

The manufacture of paper and paper products recorded a 5.1% annual increase alongside a slight monthly decline of 0.1%.

In contrast, electrical devices manufacturing demonstrated robust growth, climbing by 9.2% year on year and 0.7% month on month.

Conversely, furniture manufacturing faced a 1.5% annual decrease and a 0.4% month-on-month decline.

Other economic activities within the manufacturing landscape noted a 0.6% annual increase, albeit with a 0.3% month-on-month drop.

The sub-index for the provision of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning services fell by 1.7%, while the water supply, sewerage, and waste management activities saw a significant annual increase of 8.7%.

In January, oil-related activities reported a year-on-year growth of 0.4% and a modest monthly increase of 0.1%.

Non-oil activities also noted an upward trend, with a 3.6% annual growth and a 0.2% monthly rise.

This growth trajectory underscores Saudi Arabia’s ongoing commitment to expanding its non-oil industrial base as part of its broader Vision 2030 objectives.

The Industrial Production Index, which tracks changes in industrial output, follows the International Standard Industrial Classification framework, encompassing sectors including mining, manufacturing, utilities, and waste management.