عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Saudi Arabia Strengthens Role of SMEs as Key Driver of Economic Growth

A building affiliated with the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at website)
A building affiliated with the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at website)
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Strengthens Role of SMEs as Key Driver of Economic Growth

A building affiliated with the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at website)
A building affiliated with the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at website)

Saudi Arabia’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are experiencing unprecedented growth, positioning themselves as a vital pillar in the Kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy and increase private sector participation, which are core goals of Vision 2030.

According to the Q1 2025 report by the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at), commercial registrations surged 48% year-on-year, reaching 154,640 new registrations in the first quarter alone. Active registrations climbed to 1.68 million, reflecting a 6% annual increase.

As part of the Kingdom’s accelerating digital transformation, over 41,000 active businesses now operate in e-commerce. Notably, 45% of active commercial registrations are women-owned, highlighting growing female participation in the national economy.

Support from Monsha’at has been crucial to this expansion. Nearly 9,850 companies benefited from SME support centers, and over 1,400 received assistance from innovation hubs. The flagship Tomouh (Ambition) program, launched in 2017, has played a central role in financing high-growth companies, facilitating 34 listings on the parallel equity market (Nomu) with a combined market value of $450 million in 2025 alone, from a total supported portfolio of $6.6 billion.

To date, Tomouh has funneled more than $15.7 billion into startups and SMEs, cementing Saudi Arabia’s status as an entrepreneurial hub.

Flexible Financing and Government Support

In Q1 2025, the SME Bank expanded debt-based crowdfunding and launched a new “agency model” in partnership with fintech platforms. This initiative provided flexible financing between $13,300 and $266,000, disbursing $23.4 million in its initial phase, with a target of $64 million.

The Kafalah loan guarantee program also saw major expansion, issuing $3.7 billion in guarantees to 5,346 SMEs, facilitating total funding of $4.8 billion, a 17% rise from 2023.

Craft industries also surged in 2025, driven by global demand for cultural goods, e-commerce growth, and initiatives like “Made in Saudi” and “Year of Handicrafts,” which improved artisans’ access to finance, training, and global markets. The global handicraft market reached $1.22 trillion in 2025.

Sector Breakdown and Impact

Spokesperson Badr Al-Qadi told Asharq Al-Awsat that Riyadh accounted for 39% of commercial registrations, followed by Makkah (17%) and the Eastern Province (16%). Key growth sectors include manufacturing, fintech, tourism, entertainment, health, and e-commerce.

Initiatives like Tomouh, the Nawafeth app for easy access to support services, the Jadeer procurement tool, and Monsha’at Academy for skills development have further empowered entrepreneurs.

By end-2024, SMEs employed 7.86 million people, surpassing employment targets. Their contribution to GDP hit 21.9% in 2023, exceeding the 20.2% target - even amid oil production cuts - and attracting 30% of regional venture capital investment.

With robust funding channels, digital integration, and inclusive policies, Saudi Arabia is advancing steadily toward making SMEs a cornerstone of its national economy and Vision 2030 strategy.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
TT
TT

IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.

Business

Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
TT
TT

Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Federation of Saudi Chambers announced the formation of the first joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council for its inaugural term (1447–1451 AH) and the election of Salman bin Hassan Al-Oqayel as its chairman.

Al-Oqayel said the council’s formation marks a pivotal milestone in economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reflecting a practical approach to enabling the business sectors in both countries to capitalize on promising investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnerships, SPA reported.

He noted that trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached approximately SAR9.5 billion by the end of November 2025, including SAR8 billion in Saudi exports and SAR1.5 billion in Kuwaiti imports.

Business

Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
TT
TT

Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Harvard University economics professor Pol Antràs said Saudi Arabia represents an exceptional model in the shifting global trade landscape, differing fundamentally from traditional emerging-market frameworks. He also stressed that globalization has not ended but has instead re-formed into what he describes as fragmented integration.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, Antràs said Saudi Arabia’s Vision-driven structural reforms position the Kingdom to benefit from the ongoing phase of fragmented integration, adding that the country’s strategic focus on logistics transformation and artificial intelligence constitutes a key engine for sustainable growth that extends beyond the volatility of global crises.

Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is one of the leading contemporary theorists of international trade. His research, which reshaped understanding of global value chains, focuses on how firms organize cross-border production and how regulation and technological change influence global trade flows and corporate decision-making.

He said conventional classifications of economies often obscure important structural differences, noting that the term emerging markets groups together countries with widely divergent industrial bases. Economies that depend heavily on manufacturing exports rely critically on market access and trade integration and therefore face stronger competitive pressures from Chinese exports that are increasingly shifting toward alternative markets.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, exports extensively while facing limited direct competition from China in its primary export commodity, a situation that creates a strategic opportunity. The current environment allows the Kingdom to obtain imports from China at lower cost and access a broader range of goods that previously flowed largely toward the United States market.

Addressing how emerging economies should respond to dumping pressures and rising competition, Antràs said countries should minimize protectionist tendencies and instead position themselves as committed participants in the multilateral trading system, allowing foreign producers to access domestic markets while encouraging domestic firms to expand internationally.

He noted that although Chinese dumping presents concerns for countries with manufacturing sectors that compete directly with Chinese production, the risk is lower for Saudi Arabia because it does not maintain a large manufacturing base that overlaps directly with Chinese exports. Lower-cost imports could benefit Saudi consumers, while targeted policy tools such as credit programs, subsidies, and support for firms seeking to redesign and upgrade business models represent more effective responses than broad protectionist measures.

Globalization has not ended

Antràs said globalization continues but through more complex structures, with trade agreements increasingly negotiated through diverse arrangements rather than relying primarily on multilateral negotiations. Trade deals will continue to be concluded, but they are likely to become more complex, with uncertainty remaining a defining feature of the global trading environment.

Interest rates and artificial intelligence

According to Antràs, high global interest rates, combined with the additional risk premiums faced by emerging markets, are constraining investment, particularly in sectors that require export financing, capital expenditure, and continuous quality upgrading.

However, he noted that elevated interest rates partly reflect expectations of stronger long-term growth driven by artificial intelligence and broader technological transformation.

He also said if those growth expectations materialize, productivity gains could enable small and medium-sized enterprises to forecast demand more accurately and identify previously untapped markets, partially offsetting the negative effects of higher borrowing costs.

Employment concerns and the role of government

The Harvard professor warned that labor markets face a dual challenge stemming from intensified Chinese export competition and accelerating job automation driven by artificial intelligence, developments that could lead to significant disruptions, particularly among younger workers. He said governments must adopt proactive strategies requiring substantial fiscal resources to mitigate near-term labor-market shocks.

According to Antràs, productivity growth remains the central condition for success: if new technologies deliver the anticipated productivity gains, governments will gain the fiscal space needed to compensate affected groups and retrain the workforce, achieving a balance between addressing short-term disruptions and investing in long-term strategic gains.