Saudi Arabia: Private Sector Investment in Transport Exceeds SAR 280 Billion
Riyadh | BETH
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services said private sector investments—both domestic and international—in the transport and logistics sector have exceeded SAR 280 billion since the launch of the national strategy in mid-2021, including around SAR 25 billion through privatization projects.
Speaking at the Supply Chains and Logistics Services Conference, the minister noted that transport and warehousing activities account for 6.2% of the Kingdom’s GDP. He added that air cargo growth rose by 34% year-on-year, reaching 1.2 million tonnes.
He also pointed to a 28% annual increase in job creation in transport and warehousing activities as of mid-year, with 144,000 new jobs added, bringing total employment in the sector to around 651,000.
The minister said the future of Saudi Arabia’s transport and logistics sector has become a tangible reality on the ground, supported by national and international indicators, in line with the objectives of the national sector strategy.
BETH Comment
The figures underscore the transformation of the transport and logistics sector into a key growth engine and a magnet for private investment, as the focus shifts from infrastructure build-out to expanding value chains and improving operational efficiency. The next challenge lies in deepening local content and converting quantitative growth into sustainable operational and regional competitiveness.