Business Expansion in Saudi Market Reflected in Issuance of More than 1.4 Million Commercial Registers

The Saudi Business Center facilitates the procedures for starting, conducting, and terminating economic businesses, as well as providing all related services. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Business Center facilitates the procedures for starting, conducting, and terminating economic businesses, as well as providing all related services. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Business Expansion in Saudi Market Reflected in Issuance of More than 1.4 Million Commercial Registers

The Saudi Business Center facilitates the procedures for starting, conducting, and terminating economic businesses, as well as providing all related services. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Business Center facilitates the procedures for starting, conducting, and terminating economic businesses, as well as providing all related services. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The number of existing commercial registrations in Saudi Arabia now exceeds 1.4 million after it achieved a 59 percent jump during the first quarter of 2024 by about 104,000 records, compared to 65,300 records in the same period last year.
Women accounted for 44 percent of the new commercial registers, which clearly indicates the expansion of women’s access to the labor market.
According to a recent report issued by the Ministry of Commerce, a copy of which was obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, three regions topped the list in terms of the number of registers issued in the first three months of 2024, namely: Riyadh (39,800 records), Makkah (19,800), and the Eastern Province region (15,200).
The report also revealed that institutions dominate the volume of commercial registers in the Kingdom, with a number exceeding 1.159 million.
The report discussed the extent of development in the promising sectors in Vision 2030, and highlighted the growth of commercial registers in the technical sectors that deal with application development, electronic games, and delivery services via electronic platforms, in addition to activities related to the entertainment and tourism sectors, and the business incubators and accelerators.
The volume of existing e-commerce registers grew by 17 percent at the end of the first quarter of 2024, with 38,800 registers, according to the report, which highlighted the importance of strengthening the e-commerce business system as one of the goals of the National Transformation Program.
The report pointed to an increase in existing registers for the electronic games development sector, which reached around 4,300 during the first quarter of 2024, compared to 2,700 during the same period last year, which means an increase of 59 percent.
As for research and development in biotechnology sciences, the report says that the number of registers during the first three months of this year exceeded one thousand, compared to 594 records in the same period last year.

 

 



Saudi PIF, Elm Sign Agreement for Elm to Acquire Thiqah

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) logo
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) logo
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Saudi PIF, Elm Sign Agreement for Elm to Acquire Thiqah

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) logo
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) logo

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Elm, a leading digital solutions company, have signed a share sale and purchase agreement for Elm to acquire Thiqah Business Services Company – a firm specializing in smart technology solutions for business services – in a deal valued at $907 million (SAR3.4 billion).

Completion is expected once regulatory approvals are obtained and certain conditions are satisfied under the agreement.

According to a PIF statement, the transaction will further support a thriving local information and communication technologies (ICT) ecosystem and contribute to PIF’s strategy which aligns with the Vision 2030 aim of using digital transformation to create the high-skills jobs of the future and further grow the Saudi economy. The deal will enhance the growth of the ICT sector, drive innovation, and localize technologies and knowledge by strengthening Elm to lead the sector at the national level, maximizing the value chain by providing a wide range of ICT products, services and devices.

The ICT sector is among PIF’s strategic priority investment sectors, being a key enabler of other key sectors, including entertainment, financial services, healthcare, transport and logistics, and utilities and renewables, the statement said.

“PIF is committed to enabling the creation of national champions which contribute to driving the development and growth of the Saudi economy. PIF’s sale of Thiqah to Elm will contribute to enhancing the vital role of the ICT sector and will strengthen efforts to localize technology and drive innovation,” Head of Technology and Media, MENA Investments, at PIF Shahd Attar said.

CEO of Elm Mohammad Abdulaziz Alomair said: “This is an important transaction for Elm, as it enhances integration, rationalizes spending, increases profitability, and provides qualitative advantages for both parties and the market.”

“The combined integrated entity will be better able to create advanced national smart services to serve market requirements and clients’ needs. It will also contribute to facilitating innovative operations and capabilities to develop products in the business field with cost advantages while achieving economies of scale,” he added.