The Saudi business environment has thrived during the first half of this year, with the establishment of 46,900 new companies, in a reflection of continued growth of commercial activity amid government efforts to facilitate procedures for starting and operating businesses.
The Saudi Competitiveness and Business Center provided more than 2.9 million services to business establishments during the first six months of 2026. These services included the establishment of 46,900 companies, the registration of 86,800 establishments, and the verification of 3,500 online stores.
This growth in the number of establishments coincided with the expansion of the Center’s network, which now comprises 21 branches across 16 cities, following the opening of branches in Makkah and Arar. This reflects the Center’s commitment to expanding the scope of government services related to the business sector across the Kingdom.
The Center provides establishments with access to approximately 4,800 services through integration with 80 government agencies. These include company establishment; the issuance, renewal, and amendment of licenses; annual confirmation of commercial records; opening establishment files with government agencies; as well as tax and zakat services.
The new developments come as Saudi Arabia continues to improve its ranking in international competitiveness indicators. The Kingdom ranked 13th globally and third among G20 countries in the “World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026,” published by the World Competitiveness Center of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) last June.
The Center attributed this progress to the implementation of 1,000 legislative, procedural, and technological reforms in coordination with government agencies, alongside efforts to monitor and address challenges facing the private sector and enhance the efficiency of business operations.
The Center continues to work on developing the business environment by providing data related to economic activities, receiving inquiries from the private sector, identifying challenges facing businesses, and working with relevant authorities to address them.
These efforts form part of Saudi Arabia’s broader endeavors to develop a more competitive and streamlined business environment, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 to diversify the economy and increase the private sector’s contribution to economic activity.
