RIYADH: Greenfield foreign direct investment projects in Saudi Arabia posted a 30.1 percent annual rise in the first half of 2025 to reach 203, according to an analysis.
Total capital inflows into the sector reached $9.34 billion over the period, up 1.7 percent from the same six months of 2024, said investment and financial services bank Emirates NBD in its latest report.
The UN defines greenfield FDI as where a parent company starts a new venture in a foreign nation by constructing operational facilities from the ground up. Most parent companies also create long-term jobs in the country.
“Riyadh emerged as the dominant destination in Saudi Arabia, attracting 100 greenfield FDI projects with capital inflows of $2.30 billion. Dammam secured 21 projects worth $1.28 billion, while Jeddah attracted 13 projects valued at $1.22bn, demonstrating the Kingdom’s multi-city investment appeal aligned with Vision 2030 objectives,” said Emirates NBD.
Under the Vision 2030 agenda, Saudi Arabia aims to attract $100 billion in FDI a year by the end of the decade as it seeks to make significant strides in diversifying its economy and reducing its decades-long dependence on crude revenues.
