# Citizen Impact Portal — Full Content

Last updated: 2026-05-18. 83 metrics, 10 sectors.

This file is intended for AI ingestion. Each metric below carries the verified value, the four-part story arc, and the source list. Cite by metric URL.

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## Sector: Jobs & Saudization
Slug: jobs-saudization
Vision pillar: Thriving Economy
Citizen lens: Are Saudis finding good work?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/jobs-saudization

### Metric: Saudi unemployment rate
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/saudi-unemployment
Hero value: 7.2% (Saudi unemployment rate, Q4 2025)
Baseline: 12.3% (2017)
Target (revised): 5% (2030)
Initiative: Saudization (Nitaqat), HRDF, Doroob, giga-project hiring
Citizen benefit: Jobs & livelihoods
Status: original-target-achieved-revised-target-active
Trend: Down from 12.3% (2017) → 7.2% (Q4 2025). Original V2030 target of 7% met; goalposts moved to 5%.

Story:
- Before: In 2017, roughly one in eight working-age Saudis looking for a job couldn't find one. For many young families, joblessness was the single most pressing daily concern.
- Initiative: Saudization programs (Nitaqat tiers), Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) wage subsidies, the Doroob training platform, and a wave of new private-sector openings from giga-projects, tourism, entertainment and finance.
- Outcome: By Q4 2025, Saudi unemployment had fallen to 7.2% — meeting the original Vision 2030 target several years early. The Kingdom has now set a more ambitious 5% goal for 2030.
- For citizens: Fewer Saudis spend years searching for that first job. The benchmark for 'what good looks like' has shifted from 'any job' to 'a meaningful, well-paid career.' Job-search is now measured in months, not years.

Supporting metrics:
- Saudi male unemployment: 5.4% (Q4 2025)
- Saudi female unemployment: 10.3% (Q4 2025 (down 1.6pp YoY))
- Total population unemployment (incl. residents): 3.5% (Q4 2025)
- Total labor force participation: 67.4% (Q4 2025 (highest in modern history))
- Saudi youth (15-24) unemployment: ~13-15% (recent quarters (still the gap to close))
- Saudi unemployment (25-54 cohort): 5.4% (Q1 2025 (the core working-age figure))
- Pandemic peak — Saudi unemployment spike: ~15% (mid-2020 (recovered to trend by late 2021))
- Q1 2025 historic low: 6.3% (lowest sustained Saudi unemployment reading ever recorded)
- Revised 2030 target: 5% (set after the original 7% target was hit early)

Milestones:
- 2017: Saudi unemployment at 12.3%, V2030 launched
- 2020: Pandemic shock; reforms accelerate (driving rights, sector openings)
- 2024: Q4 2024: rate hits 7.0% — original target met early
- 2026: Q4 2025 rate published at 7.2%; revised target of 5% by 2030 confirmed

Sources:
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q4 2025 (2026-03-31). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2549792
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi unemployment holds at 3.5% in Q4 2025: GASTAT (2026-03-31). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638289
- [verified_news] Saudi Gazette — Unemployment rate among Saudis drops to 7.2% in 4Q 2025 (2026-03-31). https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/660149

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Women in the workforce
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/female-workforce-participation
Hero value: 36.3% (Saudi female labor force participation, Q1 2025)
Baseline: 17% (2017)
Target: 30% (2030)
Initiative: Driving rights, guardianship reform, Wusool (transport), Qurrah (childcare), anti-harassment law
Citizen benefit: Women's economic empowerment
Status: exceeded-original-target
Trend: Doubled in eight years. Increase of 19 percentage points exceeds the pace of female workforce integration in any major economy in modern history.

Story:
- Before: In 2017, only 17% of Saudi women were in the workforce — one of the lowest rates globally. Most women who wanted to work faced overlapping barriers: driving restrictions, guardianship requirements, sector limits, and few childcare options.
- Initiative: Driving rights (2018), guardianship reform, anti-harassment legislation, childcare mandates for larger employers, sector openings across retail, hospitality, finance, law, engineering, and technology. Wusool subsidized commuting; Qurrah subsidized childcare.
- Outcome: By Q1 2025, Saudi female labor force participation reached 36.3% — more than double the 2017 baseline and well past the original V2030 target of 30%. Saudi female employment grew about 11% (160,000 women) in the past two years alone.
- For citizens: Saudi women now work across virtually every sector. Average female wages rose 17% in two years — nearly twice the rate of Saudi men. Two-earner households are now the norm in cities, and daughters grow up seeing a wider universe of futures open to them.

Supporting metrics:
- Female employment rate: 31% (2025 (+4.2pp over 5 years))
- Female unemployment: 10.3% (Q4 2025 (down from 11.9% YoY))
- New Saudi female jobs (past 2 years): ≈160,000 (2023–2025)
- Avg. female wage increase: +17% (past 2 years (≈2x male rate))
- Saudi women in formal workforce — absolute count: ~600K → ~4M (2017 baseline to Q1 2025)
- Female participation, ages 25-34: ~50% (Q1 2025 (close to OECD median for that cohort))
- Saudi female wage vs male peers: 85-90% (GASTAT 2024 disaggregations (closer to OECD avg gap than pre-2017))
- Female median monthly wage (25-54 cohort): SAR 8,300 (Q1 2025)

Milestones:
- 2017: Baseline: 17% female labor force participation
- 2018: Driving rights granted; anti-harassment law enacted
- 2020: Rate doubles to ~33% — V2030 target hit 10 years early
- 2025: Q1 rate at 36.3%; female employment rate 31%, +4.2pp over 5 years

Sources:
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q1 2025 (2025-06-29). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2348720
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q4 2025 — 5-yr female employment trend (2026-03-31). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2549792
- [analysis] AGSI (Arab Gulf States Institute) — Vision 2030 Reforms and Economic Outcomes in Saudi Arabia (2025-10-30). https://agsi.org/analysis/vision-2030-reforms-and-economic-outcomes-in-saudi-arabia/

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudi careers in 269 professions
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/nitaqat-saudization-expansion
Hero value: 340,000 (Additional Saudi jobs to be localized in the new Nitaqat phase, 2026–2028)
Baseline: Nitaqat first launched 2011 (2011)
Initiative: Nitaqat (Saudization), Nitaqat Mutawar 2026–2028 phase, profession-specific quotas
Citizen benefit: Quality private-sector jobs for Saudis
Status: new-phase-launching
Trend: April 2026: Nitaqat enters new 3-year cycle. 269 professions now have specific localization quotas (vs aggregate company headcount). 69 administrative roles localized at 100% from April 5, 2026.

Story:
- Before: Nitaqat (Saudization) was originally a headcount game — companies hit aggregate quotas by hiring Saudis into any role. The result: many Saudi nationals nominally counted toward quotas while sitting in low-paid positions with limited career growth.
- Initiative: MHRSD redesigned the program around profession-level quotas across 269 specific roles, with minimum wage floors (SAR 4,000 general / SAR 5,500 marketing / SAR 8,000 engineering / SAR 9,000 dentistry). The new 2026–2028 cycle (Nitaqat Mutawar) raised quotas across healthcare, engineering, accounting, procurement, marketing and sales. 69 administrative support roles (secretarial, translation, data entry) became fully Saudized from April 5, 2026. The Yellow compliance tier was eliminated.
- Outcome: Over the 2026–2028 cycle, the program aims to localize 340,000 additional private-sector jobs for Saudi nationals, while pushing companies away from quota-gaming toward genuine career roles.
- For citizens: The era of being hired to fill a quota is ending. A Saudi accountant, engineer, marketer, dentist or pharmacist now enters a private sector that needs them, pays them properly, and offers progression. Quality replaces token compliance.

Supporting metrics:
- Professions with specific quotas: 269 (2026)
- Roles localized 100% (admin): 69 new professions (From April 5, 2026)
- Min. wage floor for Nitaqat counting: SAR 4,000/month (2026 update)
- Nitaqat tiers: Platinum / Green (3 bands) / Red (Yellow eliminated) (2026)
- Professions newly Saudized: 269 professions (cumulative since 2017 (the activity localization waves))

Milestones:
- 2011: Original Nitaqat launched
- 2021: Nitaqat Mutawar (2021–2025) launched — first phase
- 2026: Second phase (Nitaqat 2.0) launches; Yellow tier eliminated; 69 admin roles 100% Saudized
- 2028: Target: 340,000 additional jobs localized

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development — Nitaqat Program launches new phase to localize 340,000 jobs (2026-01-22). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1874513
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia expands Saudization to 69 administrative roles (2026-04-06). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638950/business-economy
- [analysis] Middle East Briefing — Saudization (Nitaqat) 2026 Update: Sector Quotas and Compliance (2026-05). https://www.middleeastbriefing.com/news/saudi-arabias-nitaqat-2026-update-latest-quotas-by-sector-and-what-foreign-employers-need-to-comply-now/

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Direct cash support to 10 million Saudis
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/citizen-account-program
Hero value: 10M+ (Total Citizen Account beneficiaries (incl. dependents), 2025)
Baseline: 700,000 families (first payment Dec 2017) (2017)
Initiative: Citizen's Account Program (Hesab Al-Muwaten) — MHRSD; Fiscal Sustainability Program
Citizen benefit: Social protection & cushion against reform impact
Status: active-recurring-program-extended-to-end-2026
Trend: Cumulative disbursements crossed SAR 229B by Jan 2025. Extended by Royal Order through end-2026.

Story:
- Before: When the government began rolling back energy subsidies and introduced VAT in 2017–2018, the cost of living rose for ordinary Saudi families. Without a buffer, the burden would fall hardest on low- and middle-income households — exactly the group the reforms were meant to ultimately serve.
- Initiative: The Citizen's Account Program (launched December 2017) makes direct monthly cash transfers — calculated on household size, age of dependents, and income — to eligible Saudi families. Disbursements arrive on the 10th of each month via the Citizen Account e-platform and mobile app. Eligibility is regularly tightened using financial-capacity criteria (gross income + assets) and field verification.
- Outcome: By early 2025, the program had reached over 10 million beneficiaries (including dependents) and distributed SAR 229 billion cumulatively since inception. Monthly batches typically run SAR 3+ billion. A Royal Order in December 2025 extended the program through end-2026.
- For citizens: For millions of Saudi families, the 10th of every month brings an SMS — and a deposit. The program made the difficult fiscal reforms of 2017–2018 socially survivable, and it continues to cushion lower- and middle-income households against price shocks today.

Supporting metrics:
- January 2025 payment batch: SAR 3.1B (86th batch) (Jan 2025)
- Beneficiaries (incl. dependents): 10M+ (2025)
- Program extension: Through end-2026 (Royal Order) (Dec 2025)

Milestones:
- 2016: Program approved by Council of Ministers as part of Fiscal Sustainability Program
- 2017: First payment December 2017 to 700,000+ families
- 2022: Additional SAR 20B allocated in response to global price increases
- 2025: 10M+ beneficiaries; financial-capacity criteria tightened; cumulative SAR 229B+
- 2026: Extension through end-2026 confirmed by Royal Order

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development — Citizen Account Program (2025). https://www.hrsd.gov.sa/en/ministry-services/services
- [verified_news] EntrepreneurshipKSA — Citizen Account Program Allocates SAR 3.1 Billion for January 2025 Support (2025-01-09). https://www.entrepreneurshipksa.com/citizen-account-program-allocates-sar-3-1-billion-for-january-2025-support/
- [verified_news] Argaam — Citizen Account enforces financial capacity criteria (2024-12). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1771744
- [analysis] Saudipedia — Citizen's Account (2025). https://saudipedia.com/en/citizen%22s-account

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: 70% of Aramco's supply chain — Made in Saudi
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/aramco-iktva-localization
Hero value: 70% (iktva local content rate (Aramco), Feb 2026 (target achieved))
Baseline: Launched 2015 (2015)
Target (revised): 75% by 2030 (2030)
Initiative: Aramco iktva (In-Kingdom Total Value Add) program
Citizen benefit: Saudi manufacturing, Saudi industrial jobs
Status: target-achieved-revised-target-active
Trend: Cumulative impact since 2015: $280B GDP contribution, $9B inward investment, 350+ investments from 35 countries, 200,000+ direct & indirect jobs, 47 products manufactured in Saudi Arabia for the first time.

Story:
- Before: Aramco — the largest single buyer in the Saudi economy — historically sourced most of its specialized equipment, drilling components, and industrial services from abroad. Every dollar of procurement that left the country was a dollar that did not build a Saudi factory, train a Saudi engineer, or feed a Saudi supplier ecosystem.
- Initiative: iktva (In-Kingdom Total Value Add) reframed Aramco's procurement as economic development policy. The program identified 200+ localization opportunities across 12 strategic sectors with a combined annual market of $28B, hosted biennial supplier forums to bring global manufacturers in, and ranked suppliers on Saudi value-add — not lowest cost.
- Outcome: In February 2026, Aramco announced iktva had hit its 70% local content target, contributing more than $280 billion to Saudi GDP cumulatively, attracting $9B in inward investment, catalyzing 350+ investments from 35 countries, and creating 200,000+ direct and indirect jobs. 47 strategic products are now manufactured in Saudi Arabia for the first time. The new target: 75% by 2030.
- For citizens: iktva is the reason a generation of Saudis can train as industrial engineers, manufacturing operators, supply-chain managers, and quality specialists — and find Saudi jobs that match. It is one of the cleanest examples of how a single anchor buyer can build an entire industrial economy around itself.

Supporting metrics:
- Cumulative GDP contribution: $280B+ (2015–2026 cumulative)
- Inward investment attracted: $9B (Cumulative)
- Direct & indirect jobs: 200,000+ (Cumulative)
- Investments / new facilities: 350+ from 35 countries (Cumulative)
- Strategic products now made locally: 47 (firsts) (Cumulative)
- Localization opportunities identified: 200+ across 12 sectors ($28B annual market) (Current)
- Target hit: 70% local content (February 2026 (original 70%-by-2030 target reached early))
- Investments from countries: 350+ investments from 35 countries (global supplier base now manufacturing in-kingdom)
- Strategic products manufactured locally for first time: 47 (cumulative under IKTVA framework)
- New 2030 target: 75% local content (next-cycle ambition (70% target already reached))

Milestones:
- 2015: iktva launched by Aramco
- 2020: Mid-decade progress: ~50% local content
- 2026: 70% target announced as achieved (Feb 2026); 75% by 2030 set

Sources:
- [official] Aramco — Aramco achieves 70% local content target through flagship iktva program (2026-02-11). https://www.aramco.com/en/news-media/news/2026/aramco-achieves-70-local-content-target-through-flagship-iktva-program
- [verified_news] Arab News — Aramco achieves 70% local content target through iktva program (2026-02-11). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632652/business-economy
- [verified_news] Oil & Gas Middle East — Aramco's iktva hits 70% localisation milestone, sets 75% target by 2030 (2026-02-12). https://www.oilandgasmiddleeast.com/news/aramco-iktva-70-localisation-2030

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudi women added to the formal workforce
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/saudi-women-workforce-growth
Hero value: ~3.4M (Saudi women added to workforce, 2017 → 2025)
Initiative: Vision 2030 female workforce participation reforms; Qurrah childcare subsidy; legal reforms (driving, mobility, guardianship)
Citizen benefit: Jobs & livelihoods
Status: active
Trend: From ~600,000 in 2017 to ~4 million today — a sixfold absolute rise

Story:
- Before: In 2017, roughly 600,000 Saudi women were in the formal workforce — a participation rate close to 17%.
- Initiative: A package of reforms — legal mobility, expanded sector access, and the Qurrah childcare subsidy — opened formal employment to Saudi women at scale.
- Outcome: By 2025, the count had risen to roughly 4 million Saudi women in the formal workforce. The IMF describes the rise as among the fastest recorded globally.
- For citizens: Millions of Saudi families now have a working mother, daughter, or sister. Household income, household ambition, and national output all rose together.

Milestones:
- 2017: Pre-reform baseline: ~600K Saudi women in formal workforce
- 2019: Driving and guardianship reforms; sectoral access broadened
- 2025: Saudi women in formal workforce reaches ~4M

Sources:
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q1 2025 (2025-06-29). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2348720
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q4 2025 — 5-yr female employment trend (2026-03-31). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2549792

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Defense procurement, Made in Saudi
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/defense-localization
Hero value: ~20% (Defense localization, Latest)
Initiative: GAMI (General Authority for Military Industries); Vision 2030 defense localization target
Citizen benefit: Jobs & livelihoods
Status: active
Trend: Local content went from under 2% to ~20% in a decade

Story:
- Before: Saudi defense procurement was almost entirely imported — local content below 2% in 2017.
- Initiative: GAMI was established to localize the defense supply chain. Major contracts now require local manufacturing partnerships, knowledge transfer, and Saudi workforce development.
- Outcome: Defense local content has risen roughly 10× — to nearly 20% — making it one of the fastest localization shifts in any sector.
- For citizens: High-skill engineering, manufacturing, and R&D jobs that used to leave Saudi now stay. A strategic industry now employs and develops Saudis directly.

Milestones:
- 2017: Defense local content: <2%
- 2017: GAMI established to localize defense industry
- 2025: Defense local content reaches ~20%

Sources:
- [official] Aramco — Aramco achieves 70% local content target through flagship iktva program (2026-02-11). https://www.aramco.com/en/news-media/news/2026/aramco-achieves-70-local-content-target-through-flagship-iktva-program
- [verified_news] Arab News — Aramco achieves 70% local content target through iktva program (2026-02-11). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632652/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Citizen Account — total disbursed since 2017
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/citizen-account-disbursement
Hero value: SAR 229B+ (Citizen Account total disbursement, 2017-2025)
Initiative: Citizen Account Program (Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development)
Citizen benefit: Family well-being
Status: active
Trend: SAR 229 billion in direct cash support to Saudi households

Story:
- Before: When VAT and other fiscal reforms were introduced in 2017, Saudi households needed support during the transition.
- Initiative: The Citizen Account was created to deliver direct, means-tested cash support to eligible Saudi households.
- Outcome: Since launch in 2017, the program has disbursed more than SAR 229 billion — averaging over SAR 25 billion per year — to roughly 10M+ Saudis.
- For citizens: Cash directly to Saudi families during a period of fiscal reform. Means-tested. Routine. Predictable. Now extended through end-2026 by Royal Order.

Milestones:
- 2017: Citizen Account Program launched
- 2025: SAR 229B+ cumulative disbursement; 86th payment batch
- 2026: Program extended through end-2026 (Royal Order)

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development — Citizen Account Program (2025). https://www.hrsd.gov.sa/en/ministry-services/services
- [verified_news] EntrepreneurshipKSA — Citizen Account Program Allocates SAR 3.1 Billion for January 2025 Support (2025-01-09). https://www.entrepreneurshipksa.com/citizen-account-program-allocates-sar-3-1-billion-for-january-2025-support/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Qurrah childcare subsidy
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/qurrah-childcare-subsidy
Hero value: ~120,000 (Saudi women supported by Qurrah, Cumulative)
Initiative: Qurrah childcare subsidy (HRDF); Human Resources Development Fund
Citizen benefit: Family well-being
Status: active
Trend: ~120,000 working Saudi mothers supported

Story:
- Before: Childcare cost was a leading reason Saudi mothers left the workforce or never joined it.
- Initiative: Qurrah subsidizes registered childcare for working Saudi mothers, reducing the effective cost dramatically.
- Outcome: Approximately 120,000 working Saudi mothers have been supported through Qurrah — a direct enabler of the Saudi women workforce expansion.
- For citizens: Working mothers can keep their jobs without choosing between income and care. Children get formal early-childhood services.

Milestones:
- 2019: Qurrah subsidy launched
- 2025: ~120K Saudi women supported

Sources:
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q1 2025 (2025-06-29). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2348720
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q4 2025 — 5-yr female employment trend (2026-03-31). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2549792

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudi women in the Shoura Council
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/women-shoura-council
Hero value: ≥20% (Women in Shoura Council, Current)
Initiative: Royal decree (2013) appointing women to the Shoura Council; subsequent term renewals
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: At least 20% of council seats held by Saudi women

Story:
- Before: The Shoura Council, Saudi Arabia's consultative body advising on legislation, was historically all-male.
- Initiative: A 2013 royal decree appointed 30 women to the Council and mandated a minimum 20% female membership.
- Outcome: Women hold at least 20% of all Shoura Council seats — a structural minimum, sustained across multiple Council renewals.
- For citizens: Saudi women have direct voice in shaping the laws that affect their lives. Representation in policy formation is now structural, not symbolic.

Milestones:
- 2013: First 30 women appointed to Shoura Council
- 2025: Women hold ≥20% of Council seats

Sources:
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q1 2025 (2025-06-29). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2348720
- [official] GASTAT (via SPA) — Labor Market Statistics Q4 2025 — 5-yr female employment trend (2026-03-31). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2549792

Last verified: 2026-05-18

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## Sector: Economy & Investment
Slug: economy-investment
Vision pillar: Thriving Economy
Citizen lens: Is our economy growing beyond oil?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/economy-investment

### Metric: Made-in-Saudi exports
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/non-oil-exports
Hero value: SAR 624B ($166B) (Non-oil exports (incl. re-exports), Full year 2025)
Baseline: SAR 325B (2021)
Initiative: National Industrial Development & Logistics Program (NIDLP), Saudi Exports, Made in Saudi program, special economic zones
Citizen benefit: Economic diversification & resilience
Status: record-high-on-rising-trajectory
Trend: From SAR 325B (2021) → SAR 468B (2022) → SAR 477B (2023) → SAR 543B (2024) → SAR 624B (2025). Up 92% in four years. Saudi Arabia is now ranked #1 among G20 countries for non-oil export growth rate.

Story:
- Before: For decades, the Saudi economy was defined by one export: oil. Non-oil industries lived in oil's shadow. Building manufacturing, logistics and re-export capability meant working against the gravity of a petrostate.
- Initiative: The National Industrial Strategy, the Made in Saudi program (3,700+ companies, 19,000+ products to 180 countries), special economic zones, port and rail investments, and trade-house support — backed by SAR 5B+ allocated specifically to international trading houses operating in 150+ markets.
- Outcome: Non-oil exports hit SAR 624 billion ($166B) in 2025 — a record, up 15% year-over-year. Re-exports alone reached SAR 139B (up 53% YoY), crossing SAR 100B for the first time. Non-oil share of total exports rose to 44% — the highest in Saudi history.
- For citizens: Every Saudi-made product that crosses a border is a job, a supplier contract, a customs handler, a logistics worker. The economy is no longer riding a single price curve — when oil moves, the rest of the economy increasingly holds steady on its own legs.

Supporting metrics:
- 2024 non-oil exports: SAR 543B ($144.77B) (Full year 2024)
- Re-exports 2025: SAR 139B (+53% YoY) (2025)
- Non-oil share of total exports: 44% (record high, up from 39%) (2025)
- Destination countries: 180 (as of 2025)
- Real GDP 2025: SAR 4,789B (+4.5% YoY) (2025)
- 2025 record figure: SAR 624 billion (2025 — record, with steepest trajectory since 2021)
- Non-oil share of GDP: ~55% (2025 (up from 41% in 2017))
- Largest export category: Petrochemicals (SABIC complex) (single largest non-oil export bucket)
- Q1 2026 non-oil revenue: SAR 116B / $30.9B (Q1 2026 (up 2% YoY))
- Non-oil private sector PMI: 51.5 (April 2026) (returns to expansion from 48.8 in March)
- MODON industrial-city investments: SAR 30B / $8B in 2025 (2025 (includes SAR 12B foreign capital; 236M sqm developed land))
- Mining licenses — valid: 2,925 (up from 2,401) (2025 (sector investment SAR 189.4B))
- Mining exploitation licenses growth: +220% (2025 (cumulative mineral wealth estimated at ~$2.5T))
- New industrial licenses issued: 188 in March (2026 (SAR 1.81B+ investment, 1,721+ expected jobs))
- Insulin manufacturing capacity: 15M pens annually (2025-2026 (biologics/healthcare localization))

Milestones:
- 2021: Non-oil exports at SAR 325B
- 2023: Reach SAR 477B
- 2024: SAR 543B ($144.77B), +14% YoY
- 2025: SAR 624B record, 44% non-oil share, #1 G20 growth rate

Sources:
- [verified_news] Economy Middle East — Saudi non-oil exports post historic performance in 2025, surging 15% to $166.36 billion (2026-04). https://economymiddleeast.com/news/saudi-non-oil-exports-post-historic-performance-in-2025-surging-15-percent-to-166-36-billion/
- [verified_news] AGBI — Saudi non-oil exports hit $82bn in first half of 2025 (2025-12-17). https://www.agbi.com/trade/2025/12/saudi-non-oil-exports-hit-82bn-in-first-half-of-2025/
- [official] GASTAT — Non-oil exports rise by 7.4% in December 2025; trade surplus +26.3% in Q4 (2026-02). https://stats.gov.sa/en/w/news/83
- [official] GASTAT — Real GDP statistics for 2025 and Q4 — +4.5% YoY (2026). https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/w/news/24

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Global capital coming to Saudi
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/fdi-inflows
Hero value: SAR 133B (FDI inflows, Full year 2025)
Baseline: SAR 28B (2017)
Target: ≈$100B (~SAR 375B) (2030)
Initiative: Ministry of Investment unified framework, Regional HQ program, Real Estate Ownership & Investment Law, Premium Residency, market reforms
Citizen benefit: Global capital backing Saudi jobs
Status: on-trajectory-below-2030-target
Trend: 5× growth from 2017 to 2025. Q4 2025 alone saw net inflows of SAR 48.4B, a 90% YoY jump. Saudi Arabia entered the Kearney FDI Confidence Index global top 10 in 2026, up from 24th at first appearance in 2023.

Story:
- Before: In 2017, foreign direct investment into Saudi Arabia sat at SAR 28 billion — modest for an economy of its size, and dominated by a few large deals. The Kingdom wanted to be a global investment hub but lacked the regulatory openness and confidence to attract sustained capital.
- Initiative: A unified investor framework covering both domestic and foreign firms, simplified registration, the Regional HQ program (with tax incentives for companies headquartering in Riyadh), the new Real Estate Ownership & Investment Law (allowing non-Saudi property ownership in designated zones from 2026), and Premium Residency.
- Outcome: FDI inflows reached SAR 133 billion in 2025 — five times the 2017 baseline. Q4 2025 alone saw net inflows of SAR 48.4 billion, up 90% year-over-year. Total FDI stock now stands at SAR 1.1 trillion, nearly double its 2017 level.
- For citizens: Foreign investment translates directly into Saudi jobs, supplier contracts, and skills transfer. Over 700 global companies have set up regional headquarters in the Kingdom — up from just 44 in 2021. The 2030 goal of $100B annually is ambitious; the trajectory is real.

Supporting metrics:
- Q4 2025 net FDI inflows: SAR 48.4B (+90% YoY) (Q4 2025)
- Q4 2025 gross FDI inflows: SAR 50.6B (+29% YoY) (Q4 2025)
- Investment ecosystem contribution to GDP: 30% (End 2025)
- Regional HQs of global companies: 700+ (vs 44 in 2021) (End 2025)
- 5x growth confirmed: SAR 28B → SAR 133B (2017 to 2025)
- Qualitative shift: Regional ops, not market-served-from-elsewhere (foreign firms now basing MENA operations in the kingdom)
- Largest period in 30 years: Inbound FDI at recent record (2025 (largest comparable period since the 1990s))
- Business Confidence Index: 54.5 (April 2026) (up from 52.1 in March — corroborating PMI expansion)
- Saudi Arabia + UAE share of MENA corporate VC: ~86% (cumulative 5-year window — total MENA $15.4B)

Milestones:
- 2017: Baseline SAR 28B
- 2021: Regional HQ program launches (44 HQs)
- 2024: FDI hits SAR 119B, +24% YoY
- 2025: SAR 133B annual; SAR 48.4B in Q4 alone (+90% YoY); 700+ Regional HQs
- 2026: Foreign property ownership law takes effect
- 2030: Target: ~$100B annually

Sources:
- [verified_news] Saudi Gazette / Ministry of Investment — Saudi investment contributes 30% of GDP amid FDI surge (2026-04). https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/660851
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia sees 90% net FDI inflow growth in Q4 2025 (2026-03-31). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638281/business-economy
- [official] GASTAT — FDI Statistics Q1 2025 (PDF) (2025-06). https://www.stats.gov.sa/documents/20117/2435267/Foreign+Direct+Investment,+Quarter+1+2025++EN.pdf

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: PIF: from sovereign fund to sector builder
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/pif-assets
Hero value: SAR 3.41T (PIF assets under management, End 2025)
Baseline: SAR 720B (2016)
Initiative: Public Investment Fund (PIF)
Citizen benefit: Sovereign wealth backing national development
Status: exceeding-trajectory
Trend: AUM grew from SAR 720B (2016) to SAR 3.41T (end-2025). PIF has launched 103 new companies since 2021 — many across previously underdeveloped sectors.

Story:
- Before: In 2016, the PIF was a relatively modest sovereign holder. The fund's mandate broadened to become the central financial engine of Vision 2030: founding companies, anchoring giga-projects, and building entirely new domestic industries.
- Initiative: Capital injection from oil sale proceeds, asset transfers, debt issuance, and offshore investment income — paired with a mandate to establish sector-builder companies (NEOM, Red Sea Global, Diriyah Co., Roshn, Lucid, Savvy Games, Public Investment Holdings, etc.).
- Outcome: By end-2025, PIF AUM reached SAR 3.41 trillion — nearly 5× the 2016 baseline. The fund has founded 103 new companies since 2021. PIF's new 2026–2030 strategy now pivots from asset accumulation to value realization.
- For citizens: PIF's company-building has created entire job categories that didn't exist in Saudi Arabia a decade ago — from theme-park operators to electric-vehicle assemblers to esports league operators.

Supporting metrics:
- PIF-established companies since 2021: 103 (Cumulative)
- FDI growth Saudi-wide 2017→2025: 5× (SAR 27B → SAR 133B) (Cumulative)
- Aramco stake share of PIF: <1/3 of total assets (by 2024 (down from being the dominant initial holding))
- Aramco recapitalization moment: 5% stake transferred to PIF (December 2019 IPO — at the time the largest IPO in history)
- New companies founded under expansion: 103 (since 2021 (Savvy Games, ROSHN, NEOM Co., Red Sea Global, Diriyah, etc.))
- Asset growth multiple: ~5x in 8 years (SAR 720B (2017) → SAR 3.41T (2025))

Sources:
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592
- [official] Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 — Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Global companies headquartered in Saudi
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/regional-headquarters
Hero value: 700+ (Multinational companies with regional HQs in Saudi Arabia, End 2025)
Baseline: 44 companies (2021)
Initiative: Regional Headquarters Program (Ministry of Investment + Royal Commission for Riyadh City)
Citizen benefit: Global companies, local jobs
Status: target-exceeded
Trend: 16× growth in four years. Saudi government contracts now require regional-HQ presence in the Kingdom from 2024 onward.

Story:
- Before: Most multinationals serving the Middle East ran their regional operations from Dubai. Riyadh — the largest market by population and GDP in the GCC — was rarely the regional decision center.
- Initiative: The Regional HQ Program offered companies a tax incentive package (30-year corporate income tax exemption) and a simplified setup track, paired with a clear policy that Saudi government contracts above a threshold would prefer companies headquartered in the Kingdom from 2024 onward.
- Outcome: By end-2025, more than 700 multinational companies had set up regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, up from 44 in 2021. The target was exceeded.
- For citizens: Regional HQ presence means senior corporate roles, supplier networks, and decision-making weight live in Saudi cities. Saudi professionals work at and around the C-suite, not three rungs below it in a Dubai office.

Supporting metrics:
- Regional HQs in kingdom: 44 → 700+ (2021 to 2025 — 16x growth in four years)
- Policy lever: Government-contract eligibility (major contracts require MENA HQ in the kingdom)
- Compounding effect: Local hiring, training, corporate tax (firms pay corporate income tax, hire and train Saudis, generate financial-services demand)
- Original baseline year: 44 HQs (2021 starting point of the RHQ program)

Sources:
- [verified_news] AstroLabs — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025: Entering the Final Phase of Transformation (2026-04). https://insight.astrolabs.com/vision-2030-annual-report-2025-entering-the-final-phase-of-transformation

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: MENA's #1 venture market — Saudi startups, Saudi capital
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/vc-funding-mena-leadership
Hero value: $1.72B (Saudi venture capital funding, Full year 2025 (MAGNiTT))
Baseline: $700M (2024)
Initiative: Saudi Venture Capital Co. (SVC), PIF, NTDP, Sanabil, Wa'ed Ventures, STV
Citizen benefit: Saudi startups, Saudi founders, Saudi opportunity
Status: record-high-#1-in-mena
Trend: Saudi VC funding rose 145% YoY (2025 vs 2024). Largest funding total since 2018. Most-active country by deal count in MENA for the first time. 3rd consecutive year as MENA's #1 VC market. 50%+ of all MENA VC value.

Story:
- Before: A decade ago, a Saudi founder pitching for venture capital usually had to fly to Dubai, sometimes London. Saudi-based VC firms were rare, sovereign capital was directed at large infrastructure, and an early-stage tech ecosystem barely existed.
- Initiative: A deliberate public-private capital stack: PIF and Sanabil at the top of the pyramid as anchor LPs; the Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC) deploying as a fund-of-funds; NTDP offering equity-free grants; Wa'ed Ventures (Aramco), Impact46, STV, Raed and others operating across stages; the Nomu Parallel Market lowering the bar for early exits; and the Regional HQ Program drawing global GPs to Riyadh.
- Outcome: 2025: $1.72B raised across 257 deals — a 145% YoY jump in funding and a 45% rise in deal count. Saudi Arabia took the #1 deal-count position in MENA for the first time and held the #1 funding position for the third consecutive year. Saudi startups captured over half of all MENA VC value. Mega-rounds included Ninja ($250M), HALA ($157M), Tabby (Series E), and iMENA ($135M).
- For citizens: A Saudi software engineer building a fintech, a Saudi logistics founder building a delivery network, a Saudi marketplace founder — they no longer have to leave the Kingdom to raise capital, build a team, or scale. The startup is now a credible Saudi career path.

Supporting metrics:
- 2024 baseline: $700M (Full year 2024)
- 2025 deal count: 257 (+45% YoY) (Full year 2025)
- Saudi share of MENA VC value: >50% (2025)
- H1 2025 alone: $860M (+116% YoY) (Jan–Jun 2025)
- Tech startups registered: 900+ (vs <200 in 2018) (2026)
- Unicorns produced: Tamara, Tabby, Ninja (2024–2025)
- Year-on-year growth: +145% (2025 vs 2024 (MAGNiTT regional data))
- Tamara valuation: $1B+ (2023 (Saudi-founded, 2020 — first homegrown unicorn))
- Cash share of retail spend: ~70% → <20% (2017 to 2024 — SAMA estimates)
- Deal count 2025: 257 deals (2025 (most deals in MENA at $1.72B total))
- Stitch Series A — first a16z GCC investment: $25M (2026 (Andreessen Horowitz inaugural GCC bet, Saudi fintech))
- Tabby valuation: $3.3B (Latest funding round)

Milestones:
- 2018: Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC) established
- 2022: Sanabil 500 partnership for early-stage support
- 2024: First Saudi unicorn (Tamara) reaches $1B+ valuation
- 2025: $1.72B raised, #1 by deal count and funding value in MENA

Sources:
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia tops Middle East venture capital market with $1.7bn haul (2026-01-12). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2629071/business-economy
- [verified_news] Argaam — Saudi Arabia leads MENA's VC growth in 2025 (2026-01-30). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1876431
- [official] SPA / Saudi Venture Capital Co. — Saudi Arabia Retains Top Spot in MENA Venture Capital Investment for First Half of 2025 (2025-07-15). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2360997

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudi tech unicorns: Tamara, Tabby, Ninja
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/saudi-tech-unicorns
Hero value: 3 (Saudi tech unicorns, 2025)
Initiative: PIF venture arm; Monsha'at SME support; National Technology Development Program; Saudi Aramco Ventures
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: Three startups built in Riyadh, valued in billions

Story:
- Before: Saudi tech entrepreneurship was nearly invisible before Vision 2030. Fewer than 200 tech startups operated nationally in 2018.
- Initiative: PIF, Saudi Aramco, and a wave of venture funds began deploying patient capital. Regulatory reforms made company formation simple and fast.
- Outcome: Three Saudi-founded startups crossed unicorn valuation: Tabby ($3.3B), Tamara ($1B+), Ninja. All built in Riyadh, serving regional and global markets.
- For citizens: High-skill technical jobs for young Saudis. Local products that Saudis themselves use. A signal that ambitious Saudi founders can build globally relevant companies from Riyadh.

Milestones:
- 2018: Fewer than 200 tech startups in Saudi Arabia
- 2022: Tamara reaches unicorn status ($1B+)
- 2024: Tabby valued at $3.3B; Ninja crosses unicorn threshold

Sources:
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia tops Middle East venture capital market with $1.7bn haul (2026-01-12). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2629071/business-economy
- [verified_news] Argaam — Saudi Arabia leads MENA's VC growth in 2025 (2026-01-30). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1876431

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: The cashless economy
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/mada-cashless-payments
Hero value: 99%+ (Mada debit-card penetration, 2025)
Initiative: SAMA digital payments strategy; Mada national payments network; STC Pay, urpay, Tamara, Tabby fintechs
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: Mada penetration above 99%; cash share of retail spend fell from ~70% to <20%

Story:
- Before: In 2017, cash dominated Saudi retail — about 70% of all retail spending.
- Initiative: SAMA mandated the rollout of Mada terminals across merchants. Fintechs filled in: STC Pay, urpay, plus the regional buy-now-pay-later wave.
- Outcome: Mada debit-card penetration crossed 99% of Saudi adults. Cash now accounts for less than 20% of retail spend.
- For citizens: Faster checkout. Less cash to carry. Visible tax-free pricing. A small daily improvement that compounds across every retail interaction.

Milestones:
- 2017: Cash share of retail: ~70%
- 2022: Mada penetration crosses 95%
- 2025: Cash share of retail falls below 20%

Sources:
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia tops Middle East venture capital market with $1.7bn haul (2026-01-12). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2629071/business-economy
- [verified_news] Argaam — Saudi Arabia leads MENA's VC growth in 2025 (2026-01-30). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1876431

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Made in Saudi companies
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/made-in-saudi-companies
Hero value: 3,700+ (Made in Saudi participating companies, 2025)
Initiative: Made in Saudi program (Saudi Export Development Authority); MODON industrial cities; Saudi Industrial Development Fund
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: 3,700+ domestic manufacturers exporting 19,000+ products to 180 countries

Story:
- Before: Saudi industry was historically narrow — petrochemicals dominated, and most consumer goods were imported.
- Initiative: The "Made in Saudi" program gave Saudi manufacturers a national brand to rally behind. MODON industrial cities provided land, utilities, and SIDF provided patient capital.
- Outcome: Over 3,700 companies participate. They produce 19,000+ products that ship to 180 countries.
- For citizens: Saudi factories employ Saudi workers. Saudi-made products on Saudi shelves. A visible national industrial base, decade in the making.

Milestones:
- 2021: Made in Saudi program launched
- 2025: 3,700+ companies, 19,000+ products, 180 destination countries

Sources:
- [verified_news] Economy Middle East — Saudi non-oil exports post historic performance in 2025, surging 15% to $166.36 billion (2026-04). https://economymiddleeast.com/news/saudi-non-oil-exports-post-historic-performance-in-2025-surging-15-percent-to-166-36-billion/
- [verified_news] AGBI — Saudi non-oil exports hit $82bn in first half of 2025 (2025-12-17). https://www.agbi.com/trade/2025/12/saudi-non-oil-exports-hit-82bn-in-first-half-of-2025/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Cumulative foreign investment in Saudi
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/fdi-stock-total
Hero value: SAR 1.1T (Cumulative FDI stock, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Investment (MISA); Regional HQ program; investment licensing reform; LEAP, Misk, Iktva conferences
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: Total FDI stock at SAR 1.1 trillion — roughly doubled since 2017

Story:
- Before: Annual FDI flow gets headlines, but the more durable metric is cumulative stock. In 2017, stock was around SAR 600B.
- Initiative: The Ministry of Investment was established to streamline licensing. The Regional HQ program made Saudi the regional base for global firms.
- Outcome: Cumulative FDI stock has risen to SAR 1.1 trillion — roughly doubled. Reflects sustained commitment, not just one-time flows.
- For citizens: Foreign capital builds factories, opens offices, hires Saudis. Stock measures the durable footprint, not the year-by-year noise.

Milestones:
- 2017: FDI stock: ~SAR 600B
- 2025: FDI stock crosses SAR 1.1T

Sources:
- [verified_news] Saudi Gazette / Ministry of Investment — Saudi investment contributes 30% of GDP amid FDI surge (2026-04). https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/660851
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia sees 90% net FDI inflow growth in Q4 2025 (2026-03-31). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638281/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudi commercial registrations
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/commercial-registrations
Hero value: 1.8M (Active commercial registrations, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Commerce digital registration reforms; Monsha'at SME support; one-day company formation
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: 1.8 million registered businesses — entrepreneurship at scale

Story:
- Before: Starting a business in Saudi historically required weeks of paperwork across multiple agencies.
- Initiative: The Ministry of Commerce digitized company registration end-to-end. Most categories can now be registered online in a day.
- Outcome: There are now 1.8 million active commercial registrations in the Kingdom — up from 1.6M in 2024.
- For citizens: Saudis can launch businesses without bureaucratic friction. The SME ecosystem now employs 8.8M people and contributes 22.9% of GDP.

Milestones:
- 2024: Commercial registrations: 1.6M
- 2025: Commercial registrations cross 1.8M

Sources:
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Private sector share of Saudi GDP
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/private-sector-gdp-share
Hero value: 51% (Private sector share of GDP, 2025)
Initiative: Privatization Program; Fiscal Balance Program; Saudi Industrial Development Fund; SME enabling reforms
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: 51% of GDP now from the private sector — up from 44% in 2016

Story:
- Before: In 2016, the Saudi private sector contributed 44% of GDP — the rest was state-led or oil-derived.
- Initiative: Vision 2030 prioritized private-sector-led growth: privatization, SME support, removing state monopolies, opening sectors to private entry.
- Outcome: Private sector contribution reached 51% of GDP in 2025 — the structural shift Vision 2030 targeted.
- For citizens: Most Saudi GDP now comes from private companies, which means more competitive markets, more job creation, more entrepreneurial opportunity.

Milestones:
- 2016: Private sector share: 44%
- 2025: Private sector share: 51%

Sources:
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Made in Saudi product range
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/made-in-saudi-products
Hero value: 19,000+ (Made in Saudi products, 2025)
Initiative: Made in Saudi program; Saudi Export Development Authority; MODON industrial cities
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: 19,000+ products manufactured in Saudi Arabia and shipped to 180 countries

Story:
- Before: Saudi industrial output was historically narrow — petrochemicals and a few commodities.
- Initiative: The Made in Saudi program catalogs and promotes domestically-manufactured goods. MODON industrial cities and SIDF financing built the supply base.
- Outcome: Over 19,000 products from Saudi-Arabia-based companies now ship to 180 countries.
- For citizens: A diverse industrial base means a diverse Saudi labor market — not just hydrocarbons. Saudi-made goods compete globally.

Milestones:
- 2021: Made in Saudi program launches with initial company cohort
- 2025: 19,000+ products in the program, shipping to 180 countries

Sources:
- [verified_news] Economy Middle East — Saudi non-oil exports post historic performance in 2025, surging 15% to $166.36 billion (2026-04). https://economymiddleeast.com/news/saudi-non-oil-exports-post-historic-performance-in-2025-surging-15-percent-to-166-36-billion/
- [verified_news] AGBI — Saudi non-oil exports hit $82bn in first half of 2025 (2025-12-17). https://www.agbi.com/trade/2025/12/saudi-non-oil-exports-hit-82bn-in-first-half-of-2025/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Global Competitiveness ranking
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/global-competitiveness-rank
Hero value: 17th (IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook rank, 2025)
Initiative: NCMS competitiveness reforms; Doing Business reforms; regulatory streamlining
Citizen benefit: National progress
Status: active
Trend: Saudi Arabia at 17th — up 20 places

Story:
- Before: In pre-Vision-2030 international rankings, Saudi Arabia sat in the high-30s on competitiveness indices.
- Initiative: NCMS and supporting agencies executed a sustained program of regulatory reform, business-environment improvements, and competitiveness benchmarking.
- Outcome: Saudi Arabia has risen to 17th globally in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook — a +20-place jump.
- For citizens: A more competitive economy attracts investment, creates jobs, and rewards productivity. The ranking is an external scorecard on whether the reforms work.

Milestones:
- 2017: IMD rank: 36th
- 2025: IMD rank: 17th (+20 places)

Sources:
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: PIF — among world's largest sovereign funds
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/pif-global-ranking
Hero value: ~4th (PIF global rank by AUM, 2025)
Initiative: PIF expansion strategy; Aramco stake transfer; international diversification
Citizen benefit: National progress
Status: active
Trend: Public Investment Fund now ranks roughly 4th globally

Story:
- Before: In 2016, the Public Investment Fund managed SAR 720B and sat outside the top 10 sovereign funds globally.
- Initiative: Vision 2030 redesigned PIF as Saudi's primary instrument for diversification: Aramco stakes, international tech investments, giga-projects, new Saudi companies.
- Outcome: PIF now ranks among the world's top 4 sovereign wealth funds by assets under management, with SAR 3.41 trillion AUM.
- For citizens: PIF's scale means it can fund national-priority projects — NEOM, Roshn housing, Lucid manufacturing — directly. Returns ultimately benefit the Saudi state and citizens.

Milestones:
- 2016: PIF AUM: SAR 720B; outside global top 10
- 2020: PIF receives Aramco stake transfer
- 2025: PIF ranks ~4th globally; SAR 3.41T AUM

Sources:
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592
- [official] Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 — Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: STC Pay and digital bank users
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/stc-pay-users
Hero value: 14M+ (STC Pay / digital bank users, 2025)
Initiative: SAMA digital licensing for fintechs; STC Pay (now stc bank); Saudi Open Banking framework
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 14 million+ Saudis on STC Pay — fintech reached majority adoption

Story:
- Before: Saudi banking was bank-branch dominated. Digital wallets were nascent or absent.
- Initiative: SAMA licensed STC Pay (now stc bank) — Saudi's first major digital wallet — and opened the regulatory framework to fintechs.
- Outcome: STC Pay alone has 14 million+ users — close to a majority of Saudi adults. Other digital banks and wallets compete actively.
- For citizens: Send money, pay bills, top up phones, receive Citizen Account payments — all from one app. No queue at a branch.

Milestones:
- 2020: STC Pay launched
- 2025: 14M+ users on STC Pay/stc bank

Sources:
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia tops Middle East venture capital market with $1.7bn haul (2026-01-12). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2629071/business-economy
- [verified_news] Argaam — Saudi Arabia leads MENA's VC growth in 2025 (2026-01-30). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1876431

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Housing & Urban Living
Slug: housing
Vision pillar: Vibrant Society
Citizen lens: Can Saudi families own a home?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/housing

### Metric: Saudis owning their own homes
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/homeownership-rate
Hero value: 65.4% (Homeownership rate among Saudi families, End of 2024 (official Housing Program 2024 Annual Report))
Baseline: 47% (2016)
Target: 70% (2030)
Initiative: Housing Program (Sakani platform), NHC, subsidized mortgages, off-plan sales, ROSHN communities
Citizen benefit: Housing security and family stability
Status: on-track-ahead-of-schedule
Trend: Up 18+ percentage points since 2016. End-2025 rate reported at 66.24% in V2030 Annual Report 2025 — interim targets repeatedly beaten ahead of schedule.

Story:
- Before: In 2016, fewer than half of Saudi families owned their home. Waiting lists for housing support stretched up to 15 years, and the supply-demand gap was widening with population growth.
- Initiative: Vision 2030's Housing Program built an end-to-end system: the Sakani platform, the National Housing Company (NHC), subsidized real-estate financing, off-plan sales, social housing, and a private-developer ecosystem (ROSHN, NHC, others) that pushed supply up sharply.
- Outcome: By end-2024, 65.4% of Saudi families owned their home — beating the 2025 interim target a year early. Over 850,000 residential product contracts have been signed since the program began; 759,000 subsidized mortgages have been extended.
- For citizens: In H1 2025 alone, more than 48,000 Saudi families moved into their first home. The waiting list of a generation ago no longer reflects the reality of today's housing market — though affordability in Riyadh remains a real challenge that the next phase is squarely focused on.

Supporting metrics:
- End-2025 homeownership (per V2030 2025 Annual Report): 66.24% (End 2025)
- Families moved into homes (H1 2025): >48,000 (Jan–Jun 2025)
- 2030 target: 70% (remaining gap is ~5 percentage points)
- Regional spread — Al-Baha (highest): 75% (Q4 2024 (above the metro average))
- Regional spread — Riyadh: 62.5% (Q4 2024 (metro cost pressures))

Milestones:
- 2016: Baseline 47% homeownership; Housing Program launched as a V2030 program
- 2020: Sakani platform consolidates housing services
- 2023: Rate hits 64.4% — both 2024 and 2025 targets beaten
- 2024: 65.4% by year-end
- 2025: Foreign ownership liberalization law enacted; 66.24% by end-2025
- 2030: Target: 70%

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Municipalities & Housing (MoMAH) — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 — 'From Decision to Stability' (2025-08-31). https://momah.gov.sa/en/node/15202
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 (PDF) (2025-08). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/vvyplaue/housing_program_annual_report_2024_en.pdf
- [official] MoMAH (H1 2025 update) — Over 54,000 families supported in H1 2025 (2025-08). https://momah.gov.sa/en/node/15038
- [official] Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 — End-2025 homeownership at 66.24% (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudi families housed by Sakani
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/sakani-mortgages
Hero value: 759,000 (Sakani subsidized mortgages, 2025)
Initiative: Sakani national housing program (Ministry of Municipal Rural Affairs & Housing); REDF interest-free mortgage support
Citizen benefit: Affordable living
Status: active
Trend: 759,000 subsidized mortgages extended through the national housing program

Story:
- Before: In 2017, Saudi homeownership stood at 47% — well below the goal of helping every Saudi family own their home.
- Initiative: Sakani delivered a coordinated package: subsidized mortgages via REDF, off-plan sales regulation (Wafi), and direct allocation of land and units.
- Outcome: 759,000 subsidized mortgages have been extended through Sakani — the program-level mechanism behind the 65% homeownership headline.
- For citizens: Each one represents a Saudi family in their own home, with payments structured so the monthly cost is affordable.

Milestones:
- 2017: Sakani program launched
- 2025: 759K subsidized mortgages extended

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Municipalities & Housing (MoMAH) — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 — 'From Decision to Stability' (2025-08-31). https://momah.gov.sa/en/node/15202
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 (PDF) (2025-08). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/vvyplaue/housing_program_annual_report_2024_en.pdf

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudi residential contracts signed (Sakani)
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/residential-contracts-signed
Hero value: 850K+ (Sakani residential contracts, Since program launch)
Initiative: Sakani national housing program; Wafi off-plan sales regulation
Citizen benefit: Affordable living
Status: active
Trend: 850,000+ residential contracts signed through the national housing program

Story:
- Before: Saudi families seeking new homes faced fragmented developer relationships and limited regulatory protection.
- Initiative: Sakani consolidated home delivery: standardized contracts, regulated off-plan sales via Wafi, and integrated REDF financing.
- Outcome: More than 850,000 residential contracts have been signed through Sakani since program launch — covering new builds, off-plan, and existing inventory.
- For citizens: Each contract is a Saudi family acquiring a new home through a regulated, financed channel.

Milestones:
- 2017: Sakani program launched
- 2025: 850K+ residential contracts signed

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Municipalities & Housing (MoMAH) — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 — 'From Decision to Stability' (2025-08-31). https://momah.gov.sa/en/node/15202
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 (PDF) (2025-08). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/vvyplaue/housing_program_annual_report_2024_en.pdf

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Total Saudi residential lending
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/residential-lending
Hero value: SAR 859B (Total residential lending, 2025)
Initiative: REDF (Real Estate Development Fund); Saudi banking sector mortgage products; Sakani financing partnerships
Citizen benefit: Affordable living
Status: active
Trend: SAR 859 billion ($229B) deployed for citizen housing

Story:
- Before: Residential mortgage lending to Saudis was a small fraction of bank balance sheets pre-2017.
- Initiative: REDF guarantees, SAMA regulatory support, and Sakani program demand turned mortgages into a core consumer-finance product.
- Outcome: Total residential lending now stands at SAR 859 billion ($229B) — the capital base behind the homeownership expansion.
- For citizens: Mortgages priced and structured for Saudi family income realities. Long-tenor financing makes homes practically affordable.

Milestones:
- 2025: Total residential lending crosses SAR 859B

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Municipalities & Housing (MoMAH) — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 — 'From Decision to Stability' (2025-08-31). https://momah.gov.sa/en/node/15202
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Housing Program Annual Report 2024 (PDF) (2025-08). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/vvyplaue/housing_program_annual_report_2024_en.pdf

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Healthcare & Wellbeing
Slug: healthcare-wellbeing
Vision pillar: Vibrant Society
Citizen lens: Are we living longer, healthier lives?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/healthcare-wellbeing

### Metric: Saudis living longer
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/life-expectancy
Hero value: 79.7 yrs (Average life expectancy at birth, 2025 (Health Minister, Dec 2025))
Baseline: 74 yrs (2016)
Target: 80 yrs (2030)
Initiative: Health Sector Transformation Program, Sehhaty, Seha Virtual Hospital, preventive screening, traffic safety reforms, food/nutrition policy
Citizen benefit: Healthier, longer lives
Status: approaching-target-ahead-of-schedule
Trend: Up 5.7 years in nine years. The Minister of Health describes this as 'one of the most significant gains anywhere in the world' over the period.

Story:
- Before: In 2016, the average Saudi could expect to live 74 years. Road fatalities were among the highest in the G20; chronic diseases and obesity were rising; preventive screening was uneven across regions.
- Initiative: The Health Sector Transformation Program restructured care delivery (Health Holding Company, National Health Insurance Center), expanded primary care, rolled out digital health (Sehhaty app, Seha Virtual Hospital — the world's largest virtual hospital), launched mass preventive screening, banned hydrogenated oils, mandated calorie labeling, and overhauled road safety.
- Outcome: By 2025, life expectancy reached 79.7 years — within reach of the 80-year V2030 target. Saudi Arabia's Universal Health Coverage Index hit 83 points, up 9 points in just two years.
- For citizens: It's not just adding years — it's adding healthy years. Traffic deaths are down 60%, deaths from chronic disease down 40%, heart disease deaths down 30%, and infectious disease deaths halved. More than 3 million people have been reached by early-detection screening, and 70% of cancer cases are now caught early.

Supporting metrics:
- Basic health coverage (% of populated areas): 97.5% (End 2025)
- Beneficiary satisfaction with health services: 97.5% (End 2025)
- Universal Health Coverage Index: 83 pts (+9 in 2 yrs) (2025)
- Traffic accident mortality: −60% (vs 2016)
- Heart disease mortality: −30% (vs 2016)
- Infectious disease mortality: −50% (vs 2016)
- Early-detection screening beneficiaries: >3M (cumulative)
- Premarital screening reach: ≈6M people (cumulative)
- Approaching the 80-year target: 79.7 → ~80 (2025 actual vs 2030 target)

Milestones:
- 2016: Baseline 74 yrs; Health Sector Transformation Program launched
- 2018: Hydrogenated oils banned; calorie labeling mandated
- 2024: Life expectancy reaches 78.8 yrs
- 2025: 79.7 yrs — UHC Index 83; 97.5% basic coverage
- 2030: Target: 80 yrs

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health — Saudi Arabia Records Global Progress in Universal Health Coverage Index (2025-12-12). https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/ministry/mediacenter/news/pages/news-2025-12-12-001.aspx
- [verified_news] Arab News — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia
- [official] SPA — Life Expectancy Rises to 78.8 Years (World Health Day 2025) (2025-04-08). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2294099
- [verified_news] Zawya / Saudi Gazette — Saudi Arabia records major healthcare gains (V2030 Annual Report 2025) (2026-04). https://www.zawya.com/en/business/healthcare/saudi-arabia-records-major-healthcare-gains-ntdzsu9z

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Healthcare reaches almost every corner
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/basic-health-coverage
Hero value: 97.5% (Basic health coverage (populated areas), End 2025)
Initiative: Health Sector Transformation Program, Health Holding Company, National Health Insurance Center
Citizen benefit: Universal access to healthcare
Status: near-universal-coverage-achieved

Story:
- Before: Healthcare quality varied widely between regions. Smaller towns and remote areas had thinner primary-care networks. Preventive screening was uneven.
- Initiative: Expansion of primary healthcare centers, restructuring around regional health clusters, the Seha Virtual Hospital (the world's largest virtual hospital) connecting 200+ facilities, the Sehhaty app for citizen-facing services, and mass preventive screening.
- Outcome: Basic health coverage reaches 97.5% of populated areas — beneficiary satisfaction also at 97.5%. The Universal Health Coverage Index sits at 83 points, up 9 in just two years, placing Saudi Arabia among high-coverage countries globally.
- For citizens: A premarital screening reaches families before they start; an early cancer screening reaches you at 50; if you're in a remote area, the Seha Virtual Hospital can connect you to a specialist without a long journey.

Supporting metrics:
- Beneficiary satisfaction: 97.5% (2025)
- Early-detection beneficiaries: >3M (Cumulative)
- Cancers caught early: 70% (Current)
- Premarital screening reach: ≈6M people (Cumulative)
- Populated-areas primary-health access: 97.5% (end-2025 (mathematically close to the ceiling))
- Hajj healthcare capacity: 20,000+ beds (Hajj 2026 (3,800+ in holy sites))
- Health practitioners on duty: 52,000+ (Hajj 2026 (alongside full 5G coverage and AI tech))
- Mina Emergency Hospital 2 expansion: 400 beds, 18,000 sqm (2026 (plus 270+ ambulances and 570+ paramedics))

Sources:
- [official] SPA — Vision 2030 Report: Basic Health Coverage in Saudi Arabia Reaches 97.5% (2026-04). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2572550
- [verified_news] Arabian Business — Saudi Arabia nears 80-year life expectancy as Vision 2030 health reforms deliver gains (2025-12-13). https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/healthcare/saudi-arabia-nears-80-year-life-expectancy-as-vision-2030-health-reforms-deliver-gains

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudi hospitals on Newsweek's world list
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/saudi-hospitals-world-best
Hero value: 7 (Saudi hospitals in Newsweek's World's Best, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Health cluster reform; King Faisal Specialist Hospital research excellence; National Center for Excellence
Citizen benefit: Health & longevity
Status: active
Trend: Seven Saudi institutions named among the World's Best Hospitals

Story:
- Before: Saudi healthcare quality was rarely assessed by international independent rankings.
- Initiative: A decade of investment in clinical specialization, research output, and quality systems at flagship hospitals — KFSH, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib hospitals.
- Outcome: Seven Saudi hospitals appear on Newsweek's annual World's Best Hospitals list — third-party validation of clinical quality.
- For citizens: Saudis no longer need to travel abroad for top-tier care. Complex procedures, oncology, cardiology, and pediatrics all available at world-ranked institutions.

Milestones:
- 2025: 7 Saudi hospitals on Newsweek World's Best list

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health — Saudi Arabia Records Global Progress in Universal Health Coverage Index (2025-12-12). https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/ministry/mediacenter/news/pages/news-2025-12-12-001.aspx
- [verified_news] Arab News — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: WHO Universal Health Coverage Index
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/uhc-index
Hero value: 83 pts (WHO UHC Index, 2024)
Initiative: Cooperative Health Insurance; primary care expansion; chronic disease management; preventive medicine programs
Citizen benefit: Health & longevity
Status: active
Trend: Saudi Arabia's UHC score rose by 9 points in two years to 83

Story:
- Before: Universal Health Coverage is the WHO's composite measure of essential health-service coverage.
- Initiative: Reforms expanded primary care access, integrated insurance, broadened preventive screening, and modernized public health digital infrastructure (Sehhaty, Mawid).
- Outcome: Saudi Arabia's UHC Index rose by 9 points in two years — to a score of 83. Among the largest two-year jumps in the index globally.
- For citizens: A higher UHC score means more Saudis receive necessary care without financial hardship — the international standard for "healthcare reaches you".

Milestones:
- 2022: UHC Index: 74 pts
- 2024: UHC Index: 83 pts (+9 in 2 years)

Sources:
- [official] SPA — Vision 2030 Report: Basic Health Coverage in Saudi Arabia Reaches 97.5% (2026-04). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2572550
- [verified_news] Arabian Business — Saudi Arabia nears 80-year life expectancy as Vision 2030 health reforms deliver gains (2025-12-13). https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/healthcare/saudi-arabia-nears-80-year-life-expectancy-as-vision-2030-health-reforms-deliver-gains

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Cancers detected early
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/cancers-detected-early
Hero value: 70% (Cancers detected early, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Health early-detection screening; Saudi Cancer Center; national breast and colorectal screening campaigns
Citizen benefit: Health & longevity
Status: active
Trend: 70% of cancers now caught at early stages — the survivability turning point

Story:
- Before: Cancer in Saudi Arabia, as elsewhere, was often diagnosed late — when survivability is far lower.
- Initiative: MoH rolled out national screening programs for breast, colorectal, and other cancers, integrated with the Sehhaty health app for reminders.
- Outcome: 70% of cancer cases are now detected at early stages — past the critical threshold for high survivability. Over 3 million Saudis have been reached by screening.
- For citizens: When cancer is caught early, survival rates jump dramatically. The early-detection rate is one of the most consequential numbers in healthcare quality.

Milestones:
- 2025: Cancer early-detection rate reaches 70%

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health — Saudi Arabia Records Global Progress in Universal Health Coverage Index (2025-12-12). https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/ministry/mediacenter/news/pages/news-2025-12-12-001.aspx
- [verified_news] Arab News — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Sehhaty health-app users
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/sehhaty-platform-users
Hero value: 12M+ (Sehhaty platform users, Peak)
Initiative: Ministry of Health; Seha Virtual Hospital; National Center for Health Information; digital transformation strategy
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 12 million+ Saudis on the unified health platform

Story:
- Before: Health records, appointments, vaccinations, prescriptions, and lab results were fragmented across providers.
- Initiative: Sehhaty unified the citizen health experience into one app — appointment booking via Mawid, records, e-prescriptions, vaccinations, lab results, and telemedicine.
- Outcome: Sehhaty reached 12 million+ users at peak — roughly all Saudi adults plus dependents — and remains the primary health interface for most citizens.
- For citizens: One app for your medical life. No paper records, no calls to multiple clinics, no waiting in line for prescriptions.

Milestones:
- 2018: Sehhaty launched
- 2025: 12M+ users on the platform

Sources:
- [official] SPA — Vision 2030 Report: Basic Health Coverage in Saudi Arabia Reaches 97.5% (2026-04). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2572550
- [verified_news] Arabian Business — Saudi Arabia nears 80-year life expectancy as Vision 2030 health reforms deliver gains (2025-12-13). https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/healthcare/saudi-arabia-nears-80-year-life-expectancy-as-vision-2030-health-reforms-deliver-gains

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudi cities WHO Healthy-Cities accredited
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/who-healthy-cities
Hero value: 16 (WHO Healthy Cities accredited, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Health; municipal public-health programs; WHO Healthy Cities network
Citizen benefit: Health & longevity
Status: active
Trend: 16 Saudi cities recognized for public health quality

Story:
- Before: WHO Healthy Cities accreditation requires sustained municipal public health programs — air, water, waste, planning, services.
- Initiative: Saudi cities pursued accreditation under municipal-level public health programs aligned with WHO standards.
- Outcome: 16 Saudi cities have received WHO Healthy Cities accreditation — third-party validation of municipal health quality.
- For citizens: Air quality, water safety, walkability, and public-health services at internationally-benchmarked standards. Particularly relevant for families with children.

Milestones:
- 2025: 16 Saudi cities WHO-accredited as Healthy Cities

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health — Saudi Arabia Records Global Progress in Universal Health Coverage Index (2025-12-12). https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/ministry/mediacenter/news/pages/news-2025-12-12-001.aspx
- [verified_news] Arab News — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Chronic disease mortality reduction
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/chronic-disease-mortality
Hero value: −40% (Chronic disease mortality reduction, Since baseline)
Initiative: MoH chronic care management programs; preventive care via Sehhaty; integrated insurance access
Citizen benefit: Health & longevity
Status: active
Trend: 40% fewer deaths from chronic disease

Story:
- Before: Chronic conditions — diabetes, cardiovascular, kidney — were leading mortality drivers in Saudi.
- Initiative: Chronic care was structured into managed pathways: routine follow-up via Sehhaty, integrated primary care, preventive screening, and lifestyle support.
- Outcome: Chronic disease mortality is down 40%. Specific sub-categories: heart disease mortality down 30%, infectious disease mortality down 50%.
- For citizens: Saudis live longer with managed chronic conditions. Diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease are no longer the death sentences they once were.

Milestones:
- 2025: Chronic disease mortality down 40%

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health — Saudi Arabia Records Global Progress in Universal Health Coverage Index (2025-12-12). https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/ministry/mediacenter/news/pages/news-2025-12-12-001.aspx
- [verified_news] Arab News — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Tourism & Hospitality
Slug: tourism
Vision pillar: Thriving Economy
Citizen lens: Is the world coming to Saudi — and what does it mean for us?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/tourism

### Metric: Visitors to Saudi
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/tourism-visitors
Hero value: 122M (Total visitors (domestic + inbound), 2025 (preliminary, MoT))
Baseline: Tourism opened to international visitors in 2019 (~17.5M then) (2019)
Target (revised): 150M (2030)
Initiative: Tourism visa, e-visa expansion, Red Sea Global, Diriyah, AlUla, Riyadh & Jeddah Seasons
Citizen benefit: Economic diversification, jobs, national pride
Status: original-target-achieved-revised-target-active
Trend: Original 100M target met in 2023 (six years early). Revised to 150M by 2030 — 70M international + 80M domestic.

Story:
- Before: Before 2019, Saudi Arabia was effectively closed to leisure tourism. Travel was driven by religious pilgrimage (Hajj and Umrah) and business. Saudis themselves spent most of their leisure budgets abroad.
- Initiative: Tourist visas (2019), e-visa for ~50 nationalities, visa-on-arrival, new flagship destinations (Red Sea, AlUla, Diriyah, NEOM), Riyadh & Jeddah Seasons, and large-scale hotel and airport investment.
- Outcome: Saudi Arabia welcomed 122 million visitors in 2025 — a 5% jump on 2024 — and SAR 300 billion ($81B) in tourism spending. The Kingdom blew past its original 100M target in 2023 and is now aiming for 150M annual visitors by 2030.
- For citizens: Hospitality, events, transport, and retail jobs are everywhere. Saudis can now visit AlUla, the Red Sea coast, Diriyah and other destinations as locals — many for the first time. Tourism is now a credible career path for Saudis, not just a sector for foreign workers.

Supporting metrics:
- Inbound visitors 2024: 29.7M (2024 (+8% YoY))
- Total tourism investment commitments: >$400B (cumulative to 2025)
- European visitor growth: +14% (9M 2025)
- East Asia/Pacific visitor growth: +15% (9M 2025)
- 2017 visitor baseline: ~25 million (pre-Vision 2030 tourist visa baseline)
- Pandemic low (2020): ~14 million (2020 — full-year (COVID disruption))
- Post-COVID rebound: 64M → 122M (2022 to 2025 (steepest tourism rebound globally))
- Licensed hospitality facilities: 5,600+ (Q3 2025 (up 40% year-on-year))
- Original Vision 2030 target hit: 100M reached (2023 — seven years ahead of the 2030 schedule)
- Tourism GDP — region leadership: ~$178 billion (2025 (7.4% growth, ~46% of Middle East tourism economy))

Milestones:
- 2019: Tourist e-visa launched; ~17.5M international visitors
- 2023: Original V2030 target of 100M visitors met 7 years early
- 2024: 116M visitors; revised target of 150M by 2030 confirmed
- 2025: 122M visitors, SAR 300B spending — UNWTO ranks Saudi 1st globally in tourism revenue growth
- 2026: WEF26 announcement; over 25 new hotels/resorts opening across the year

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Tourism (via Minister Al-Khateeb / WEF26) — Saudi tourism 2025 preliminary results (2026-01-21). https://mt.gov.sa/about/media-center/news/220
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia nears 2030 tourism target as visitor numbers hit 122m in 2025 (2026-01-21). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2630117/amp
- [verified_news] Skift — Saudi Arabia Reports 5% Gain in 2025 Visits, Tops 120 Million (2026-01-23). https://skift.com/2026/01/23/saudi-arabia-reports-5-gain-in-2025-visits-tops-120-million/
- [analysis] UNWTO — Saudi Arabia ranked 1st globally in tourism revenue growth (2025-05). https://www.unwto.org/

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: 18 million Umrah pilgrims welcomed from abroad
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/umrah-pilgrim-growth
Hero value: 18.03M (International Umrah pilgrims, Full year 2025)
Baseline: ~5.74M (2022, implied by 214% growth) (2022)
Target: 30M international Umrah pilgrims annually (2030)
Initiative: Hajj & Umrah Program (V2030), Nusuk platform, Pilgrim Experience Program, Makkah Route Initiative
Citizen benefit: Honoring the duty of hospitality to the world's Muslims
Status: interim-target-exceeded-on-track-to-2030
Trend: 2024: 16.92M Umrah + 1.61M Hajj. 2025: 18.03M Umrah + 1.67M Hajj. 214% growth in international Umrah pilgrims from 2022 to 2025. Pilgrim satisfaction at 94%.

Story:
- Before: The Hajj and Umrah have always been at the heart of Saudi Arabia's identity. But for years, the practical experience of pilgrimage — visa logistics, transport between holy sites, crowd management, accommodation, information — was a source of stress as much as spiritual focus. Pre-2019, the international Umrah process was paper-heavy and country-by-country.
- Initiative: The Hajj & Umrah Program (a V2030 program) integrated visa, transport, accommodation, and information services into a single digital ecosystem anchored by the Nusuk platform (super-app, 12M+ downloads, 14 languages), Makkah Route (immigration cleared before departure for pilgrims from 7 partner countries), Haramain High-Speed Rail (Makkah ↔ Madinah in <45 min, +2M seats added in 2025), and AI-driven crowd-flow management with 2,000+ drones during Hajj 2025.
- Outcome: In 2025, international Umrah arrivals reached 18.03 million — a record, surpassing the 15M annual target. Combined with Hajj (1.67M pilgrims in 2025), Saudi Arabia hosted nearly 20 million pilgrim journeys in a single year. Pilgrim satisfaction reached 94%. Makkah ranked 5th globally for international visitors; Madinah 7th in the Tourism Performance Index.
- For citizens: Honoring the duty of serving the guests of God at scale — and at quality — is part of Saudi identity. Beyond identity, the religious tourism sector contributes about $12B annually (~7% of GDP and ~20% of non-oil economy) and supports hundreds of thousands of Saudi jobs in hospitality, transport, retail, and pilgrim services.

Supporting metrics:
- Pilgrim satisfaction: 94% (2025)
- Q1 2025 Umrah performers: 15M+ (incl. internal) (Q1 2025)
- Volunteers serving pilgrims: ~153,000 (2024 season)
- 2025 Umrah pilgrims: 18.03 million (2025 — record year)
- 2022 to 2025 trajectory: 5.7M → 18M (3.2x growth in three years)
- 2030 target: 30M Umrah pilgrims (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah strategic ambition)
- Hajj capacity per year: 1.8-2.5M pilgrims (fixed quota system, year-dependent)
- Religious tourism share of inbound spending: ~40-50% (Ministry of Tourism + World Bank estimates)
- Hajj 2026 pilgrims expected: 1.5 million (2026 (with AI tech, full 5G coverage, 52,000+ health practitioners))
- Haramain HSR Hajj 2026 capacity: 2.21M+ seats, 5,300+ trips (2026 (largest single-event rail capacity in kingdom history))
- Hajj 2026 transport fleet: 33,000+ buses, 5,000 taxis (2026 (Transport General Authority readiness))

Milestones:
- 2017: Makkah Route Initiative launched
- 2019: Umrah e-visa expanded to multiple countries
- 2024: 16.92M Umrah pilgrims; first Rawdah Sharif digital visit system
- 2025: 18.03M Umrah; 1.67M Hajj; 94% pilgrim satisfaction; WSIS-level digital infrastructure
- 2030: Target: 30M Umrah pilgrims annually

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Hajj & Umrah / SPA — Al-Rabiah: 18 million overseas Umrah pilgrims, 214% growth in three years (2026-03-31). https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/al-rabiah-18-million-overseas-umrah-pilgrims-214-growth-in-three-years-wk2ilabg
- [verified_news] Argaam — Umrah performers, pilgrims hit record levels: Vision 2030 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899335
- [official] GASTAT / DataSaudi — Hajj sector data (2025). https://datasaudi.sa/en/sector/hajj
- [analysis] Salaam Gateway — How Saudi Arabia is turning religious tourism into a growth engine (2025-07-25). https://salaamgateway.com/story/how-saudi-arabia-is-turning-religious-tourism-into-a-growth-engine

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Tourism spending, all-time high
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/tourism-spending
Hero value: SAR 300B (Tourism spending 2025, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Tourism; Saudi Tourism Authority (Visit Saudi); e-Visa program; giga-project tourism (NEOM, AlUla, Red Sea, Diriyah)
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: Inbound and domestic tourist spending crossed SAR 300B ($81B) in 2025

Story:
- Before: Tourism was not a meaningful contributor to GDP before 2016 — religious pilgrimage aside.
- Initiative: A full tourism stack was built: Ministry, e-Visa, hospitality investment, marketing under Visit Saudi, and giga-projects designed to attract global visitors.
- Outcome: Tourism spending crossed SAR 300B in 2025 — the financial counterpart to the 122M visitor count. Saudi is now MENA's tourism revenue leader.
- For citizens: Spending creates jobs in hospitality, transport, retail, and entertainment. The new sector employs hundreds of thousands of Saudis directly.

Milestones:
- 2019: Saudi opens to global tourists (e-Visa)
- 2025: Tourism spending crosses SAR 300B

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Tourism (via Minister Al-Khateeb / WEF26) — Saudi tourism 2025 preliminary results (2026-01-21). https://mt.gov.sa/about/media-center/news/220
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia nears 2030 tourism target as visitor numbers hit 122m in 2025 (2026-01-21). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2630117/amp

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Religious tourism's economic footprint
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/religious-tourism-economic-share
Hero value: ~7% GDP (Religious tourism share of GDP, Annual)
Initiative: Pilgrim Experience Program (Vision 2030); Hajj and Umrah expansion plans; Nusuk platform; Holy Mosque expansions
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: Hajj and Umrah generate ~$12B/year — about 7% of GDP, ~20% of the non-oil economy

Story:
- Before: Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina has always been central to Saudi life, but its economic scale was rarely articulated.
- Initiative: The Pilgrim Experience Program treats Hajj and Umrah as a formal economic sector with capacity planning, digital tools, and service-quality targets.
- Outcome: Religious tourism generates around $12B per year — approximately 7% of Saudi GDP, and ~20% of the non-oil economy.
- For citizens: A vast share of the non-oil economy now runs on religious tourism. Hundreds of thousands of Saudis work in hospitality, transport, and pilgrim services tied to Hajj and Umrah.

Milestones:
- 2019: Pilgrim Experience Program launched
- 2025: Religious tourism reaches ~7% of GDP

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Hajj & Umrah / SPA — Al-Rabiah: 18 million overseas Umrah pilgrims, 214% growth in three years (2026-03-31). https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/al-rabiah-18-million-overseas-umrah-pilgrims-214-growth-in-three-years-wk2ilabg
- [verified_news] Argaam — Umrah performers, pilgrims hit record levels: Vision 2030 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899335

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Hajj 2025 pilgrims hosted
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/hajj-2025-pilgrims
Hero value: 1.67M (Hajj 2025 pilgrims, 2025)
Initiative: Pilgrim Experience Program; Ministry of Hajj & Umrah; Nusuk platform
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: 1.67 million pilgrims, from 171 countries

Story:
- Before: Hajj logistics required modernization to scale safely.
- Initiative: The Pilgrim Experience Program coordinated Hajj at scale — visa processing, transport, accommodation, healthcare, and crowd safety.
- Outcome: In 2025, 1.67M pilgrims from 171 countries completed the Hajj — with 94% pilgrim satisfaction.
- For citizens: Saudis serve as hosts to the world's largest annual religious gathering. Hospitality, transport, and service sectors employ ~153K Saudi volunteers and tens of thousands more in paid roles.

Milestones:
- 2025: Hajj hosts 1.67M pilgrims from 171 countries

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Hajj & Umrah / SPA — Al-Rabiah: 18 million overseas Umrah pilgrims, 214% growth in three years (2026-03-31). https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/al-rabiah-18-million-overseas-umrah-pilgrims-214-growth-in-three-years-wk2ilabg
- [verified_news] Argaam — Umrah performers, pilgrims hit record levels: Vision 2030 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899335

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudis traveling within Saudi
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/domestic-tourism-trips
Hero value: 86.2M (Domestic tourism trips, 2024)
Initiative: Saudi Tourism Authority domestic campaigns; giga-projects (AlUla, Red Sea, Diriyah); Quality of Life Program
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: 86.2 million domestic trips taken by Saudis in 2024

Story:
- Before: Saudis historically traveled abroad for vacations — domestic tourism options were limited.
- Initiative: Visit Saudi domestic campaigns, paired with new attractions (AlUla, Red Sea, NEOM theme parks, Diriyah), opened up internal tourism.
- Outcome: In 2024, Saudis took 86.2 million domestic trips — making internal tourism a significant economic flow.
- For citizens: More Saudis spending vacations exploring their own country. Domestic spending stays inside the economy, supporting Saudi hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

Milestones:
- 2024: Saudis take 86.2M domestic trips

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Tourism (via Minister Al-Khateeb / WEF26) — Saudi tourism 2025 preliminary results (2026-01-21). https://mt.gov.sa/about/media-center/news/220
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia nears 2030 tourism target as visitor numbers hit 122m in 2025 (2026-01-21). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2630117/amp

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Holy Mosque simultaneous capacity
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/holy-mosque-capacity
Hero value: 2M+ (Holy Mosque simultaneous capacity, Current)
Initiative: Third Saudi Expansion of the Grand Mosque; Mataf expansion; Pilgrim Experience Program
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: From 600,000 to 2 million+ worshippers — the largest religious expansion in modern history

Story:
- Before: In the early 2010s, the Grand Mosque in Mecca could accommodate roughly 600,000 simultaneous worshippers.
- Initiative: The Third Saudi Expansion — including the Mataf circumambulation expansion — added massive vertical and horizontal capacity.
- Outcome: The Grand Mosque now accommodates 2 million+ simultaneous worshippers — among the largest single-religious-space capacities in history.
- For citizens: Pilgrims, including Saudi citizens performing Umrah, can complete Tawaf in less crowded conditions. Safety and dignity at unprecedented scale.

Milestones:
- 2015: Third Saudi Expansion begins
- 2025: Holy Mosque capacity reaches 2M+ simultaneous

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Hajj & Umrah / SPA — Al-Rabiah: 18 million overseas Umrah pilgrims, 214% growth in three years (2026-03-31). https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/al-rabiah-18-million-overseas-umrah-pilgrims-214-growth-in-three-years-wk2ilabg
- [verified_news] Argaam — Umrah performers, pilgrims hit record levels: Vision 2030 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899335

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Hotel rooms added in Mecca & Medina
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/hotel-rooms-mecca-medina
Hero value: 250K+ (New hotel rooms in Mecca and Medina, 2016-2025)
Initiative: Pilgrim Experience Program; PIF hospitality giga-projects; Ministry of Tourism licensing
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: 250,000+ new hotel rooms built in the two holy cities

Story:
- Before: Pilgrim accommodation in Mecca and Medina was insufficient for the scale of demand.
- Initiative: Major hotel construction programs, PIF hospitality investments, and licensing reforms expanded the room stock in the two holy cities.
- Outcome: Over 250,000 new hotel rooms have been added across Mecca and Medina since 2016.
- For citizens: Affordable, comfortable accommodation for both international pilgrims and Saudi families making Umrah. Hospitality jobs created at scale for Saudi workers.

Milestones:
- 2025: 250K+ new hotel rooms across Mecca and Medina

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Hajj & Umrah / SPA — Al-Rabiah: 18 million overseas Umrah pilgrims, 214% growth in three years (2026-03-31). https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/al-rabiah-18-million-overseas-umrah-pilgrims-214-growth-in-three-years-wk2ilabg
- [verified_news] Argaam — Umrah performers, pilgrims hit record levels: Vision 2030 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899335

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Nusuk app downloads
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/nusuk-app-downloads
Hero value: 12M+ (Nusuk app downloads, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Hajj & Umrah; Pilgrim Experience Program; Tawakkalna Hajj integration
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 12 million+ pilgrims use Nusuk — in 14 languages

Story:
- Before: Hajj and Umrah logistics were paper-and-phone — visa applications, hotel bookings, transport, and movement coordination happened across many disconnected channels.
- Initiative: Nusuk consolidated the pilgrim journey into one digital app — visa, itinerary, accommodation, transport, and Holy Mosque entry permits.
- Outcome: Nusuk has been downloaded over 12 million times, with content in 14 languages. Tawakkalna provides 1,300+ services across 19 languages for Hajj.
- For citizens: Saudis performing Umrah, hosting international visitors, or working in the pilgrim sector all interact with one coordinated digital layer.

Milestones:
- 2022: Nusuk platform launched
- 2025: 12M+ downloads in 14 languages

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Hajj & Umrah / SPA — Al-Rabiah: 18 million overseas Umrah pilgrims, 214% growth in three years (2026-03-31). https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/al-rabiah-18-million-overseas-umrah-pilgrims-214-growth-in-three-years-wk2ilabg
- [verified_news] Argaam — Umrah performers, pilgrims hit record levels: Vision 2030 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899335

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Education & Scholarships
Slug: education-scholarships
Vision pillar: Ambitious Nation
Citizen lens: Are we building skills for the next decade?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/education-scholarships

### Metric: 1 million+ Saudis trained in AI
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/samai-million-saudis-ai
Hero value: 1.1M+ (Saudis trained and certified in AI through SAMAI, End 2025)
Baseline: Program launched Sept 2024 (2024)
Target: 1,000,000 (2027)
Initiative: SAMAI (One Million Saudis in AI) — SDAIA + MoE + MHRSD
Citizen benefit: AI literacy & future skills
Status: target-exceeded-3x-faster-than-planned
Trend: Launched Sept 2024 at GAIN Summit. Hit 1M target in under 1 year (original timeline: 3 years).

Story:
- Before: AI was reshaping work globally — but for most Saudis, it was a headline, not a skill. There was no nationwide path to AI literacy, no certification recognized across employers, no Arabic-language curriculum at population scale.
- Initiative: SDAIA, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development launched SAMAI ('One Million Saudis in AI') in September 2024 at the GAIN Summit. Free, fully online, Arabic-language curriculum covering AI concepts, applications, ethics, and practical tools — with official SDAIA certification at no cost.
- Outcome: By November 2025, the program had certified over 1.1 million Saudis — a target originally set for three years, achieved in under one. 52% of trainees were women; 48% men. 70% were already employed; 30% were students. SAMAI 2, launched in 2026, now focuses on the entire ~1.2M-strong government workforce.
- For citizens: AI is no longer a closed conversation among specialists. A teacher in Tabuk, a small-business owner in Abha, a final-year student in Dammam — all have a recognized, free path into the technology that will define the next decade of work.

Supporting metrics:
- Female participation: 52% (Cohort 1)
- Male participation: 48% (Cohort 1)
- Employees: 70% (Cohort 1)
- Students: 30% (Cohort 1)
- Share of Saudi labor force trained in 5 years: ~10% (unprecedented in international comparison)
- Female participation in SAMAI: ~35% (of all SAMAI participants are women)
- Closest international analogue: South Korea early-2000s IT training (600K participants over a decade in a country with twice the population)
- Data-center capacity: 467 MW (Q1 2026 (60+ data centers, 2nd globally in market attractiveness))

Milestones:
- 2024: SAMAI launched at GAIN Summit (Sept)
- 2025: 1.1M+ Saudis trained — 3-year target met in <1 year
- 2026: SAMAI 2 launches, focused on government workforce

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Education — National Celebration: Over One Million Citizens Empowered in AI (2025-11-09). https://www.moe.gov.sa/en/mediacenter/MOEnews/Pages/news1_09112025.aspx
- [verified_news] Arab News — More than 1 million Saudis trained in AI via SAMAI initiative (2025-11-10). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2622098/saudi-arabia
- [verified_news] Education Saudi — Saudi Arabia Launches SAMAI 2 Workforce AI Initiative (2026-02-05). https://www.education-saudi.com/saudi-arabia-samai-2-ai-workforce-initiative/

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudis studying at the world's best universities
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/custodian-scholarship-program
Hero value: 23,400 (Saudi students at top-200 global universities, current)
Target: 70,000 students abroad (2030)
Initiative: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program (successor to KASP)
Citizen benefit: Global education, world-class talent pipeline
Status: in-progress
Trend: Pioneers Path targets top-30 universities. R&D, Providers and Promising paths target sector-specific needs.

Story:
- Before: The original King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP, 2005) sent hundreds of thousands of Saudis abroad but without sharp sector targeting — many returned to mismatched local labor demand.
- Initiative: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program redesigned the model around four paths: Pioneers (top-30 global universities), Research & Development (PhD pipeline), Providers (labor-market matched), and Promising (high-potential students). 200 approved foreign institutions; both men and women eligible.
- Outcome: 23,400 Saudi students are now enrolled at top-200 institutions globally. The program is targeting 70,000 students abroad by 2030, with the original KASP having funded 250,000+ since 2005. Inbound 'Study in Saudi Arabia' beneficiaries have crossed 200,000.
- For citizens: Saudi talent is being deliberately placed where it will deepen the skills the Kingdom needs most — not scattered across whoever will accept the application. Returning graduates feed directly into priority sectors.

Supporting metrics:
- Study in Saudi Arabia inbound students: 200,000+ (Cumulative)
- Approved foreign institutions: 200 (Current)
- Pathways: 4 (Pioneers, R&D, Providers, Promising) (Current)
- Currently abroad: 23,400 (2025 — concentrated in STEM, healthcare, AI, advanced manufacturing)
- Peak headcount (historical): ~200,000 (mid-2010s (King Abdullah Scholarship Program era))
- Program launch year: 2005 (pre-dates Vision 2030 — reshaped under current framing)
- ISEF 2026 results — Saudi performance: 24 awards (12 grand + 12 special) (2026 (2nd globally, third consecutive year, vs 1,700+ students from 70 countries))
- North African Olympiad in Informatics 2026: 6 medals (2G/3S/1B) (2026 (Saudi national team))

Sources:
- [analysis] ICEF Monitor — Updated Saudi scholarship programme will send 70,000 students abroad by 2030 (2022-05). https://monitor.icef.com/2022/05/updated-saudi-scholarship-programme-will-send-70000-students-abroad-by-2030/
- [official] Ministry of Education — Study in Saudi Arabia platform (ongoing). https://studyinsaudi.moe.gov.sa

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: 6 million students on one school platform
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/madrasati-digital-school
Hero value: 6M+ (Students using the Madrasati national learning platform, 2025)
Baseline: Launched in 2020 as pandemic remote-learning solution (2020)
Initiative: Madrasati platform (Ministry of Education)
Citizen benefit: Equal access to digital education
Status: near-universal-coverage
Trend: From temporary pandemic tool to permanent national platform: 6M+ students, 525K+ teachers, ~250K daily virtual classrooms, 98% reach. Won the WSIS Award 2025.

Story:
- Before: Saudi K-12 education was strongly school-bound. A student in a remote village had a fundamentally different experience than a student in Riyadh — different curriculum delivery quality, different access to materials, no real way for parents to see daily progress. When schools closed in 2020, the gap threatened to widen catastrophically.
- Initiative: The Ministry of Education launched Madrasati as a single nationwide learning management system for grades 1–12: live virtual classrooms (Microsoft Teams), curriculum-aligned content (45,000+ multimedia items), assignment delivery, real-time parent visibility, and integrated AI for attendance and engagement tracking. Free for every public-school student.
- Outcome: Madrasati grew from emergency tool to permanent backbone of Saudi K-12. By 2025 it served 6M+ students, 525,000+ teachers, ran ~250,000 virtual classrooms daily, and reached 98% of its target users. It won the World Summit on the Information Society Award 2025 in Geneva. From 2026, all 6M+ students will begin a national AI/coding/algorithms curriculum delivered through the platform.
- For citizens: A student in Tabuk or Najran can attend the same quality lesson as one in Riyadh. Parents see homework status, attendance, and grades in real time. Teachers spend less time on administration and more on actual teaching. The digital divide between urban and rural Saudi schoolchildren has collapsed.

Supporting metrics:
- Daily virtual classrooms: ~250,000 (2025)
- Reach rate vs target users: 98% (2025)
- Multimedia learning items: 45,000+ (2025)
- International recognition: WSIS Award 2025 (Geneva) (2025)
- AI/coding curriculum rollout: 6M+ students from 2026 (From 2026)
- Student base retained post-COVID: 6 million K-12 (2025 (the pandemic-era rollout has stuck as permanent infrastructure))

Milestones:
- 2020: Launched as pandemic remote-learning platform
- 2022: Made permanent and integrated with school routines
- 2024: AI features added — attendance, engagement, progress tracking
- 2025: 6M+ students, 98% reach; WSIS Award won
- 2026: National AI/coding curriculum begins delivery through Madrasati

Sources:
- [verified_news] Education Saudi — Madrasati: A Saudi Digital Education Model Shaping the Future of Learning (2025-12-04). https://www.education-saudi.com/madrasati-saudi-digital-education-platform-vision-2030/
- [verified_news] The Saudi Times — Madrasati Reaches Millions as Kingdom's Digital Education Platform Continues to Expand (2026-04-13). https://thesauditimes.net/en/saudi-arabias-madrasati-reaches-millions-as-the-kingdoms-digital-education-platform-continues-to-expand/
- [analysis] ITU / WSIS Prizes 2025 — Madrasati Learning Management System — WSIS Prizes 2025 (2025). https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/stocktaking/Prizes/Prizes/Details/17387480159006091

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: King's scholarship — cumulative since 2005
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/kasp-cumulative
Hero value: 250K+ (KASP cumulative beneficiaries, 2005-2025)
Initiative: King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP); Ministry of Education
Citizen benefit: Education & opportunity
Status: active
Trend: 250,000+ Saudis funded to study abroad over two decades

Story:
- Before: Access to top international universities for Saudis was limited to those with personal means.
- Initiative: KASP, launched in 2005 by King Abdullah, fully funded Saudi students at qualifying international universities — tuition, living costs, and family travel.
- Outcome: Over 250,000 Saudis have been funded since 2005. Currently 23,400 are studying abroad. The program has approved 200 foreign institutions.
- For citizens: An entire generation of Saudi professionals — engineers, doctors, researchers, executives — received their education abroad on full government funding.

Milestones:
- 2005: KASP launched by King Abdullah
- 2014: Peak headcount: ~200K Saudis abroad
- 2025: 250K+ cumulative beneficiaries

Sources:
- [analysis] ICEF Monitor — Updated Saudi scholarship programme will send 70,000 students abroad by 2030 (2022-05). https://monitor.icef.com/2022/05/updated-saudi-scholarship-programme-will-send-70000-students-abroad-by-2030/
- [official] Ministry of Education — Study in Saudi Arabia platform (ongoing). https://studyinsaudi.moe.gov.sa

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Active Madrasati teachers
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/active-madrasati-teachers
Hero value: 525K+ (Active Madrasati teachers, 2025)
Initiative: Madrasati platform (Ministry of Education); Vision 2030 education digital transformation
Citizen benefit: Education & opportunity
Status: active
Trend: 525,000+ Saudi teachers operating in the unified digital platform

Story:
- Before: Teachers worked across fragmented digital systems with little cross-school coordination.
- Initiative: Madrasati unified the K-12 teaching workforce on one platform — lesson planning, virtual classrooms, assignments, grading, parent communication.
- Outcome: Over 525,000 Saudi teachers actively use Madrasati. Approximately 250,000 virtual classrooms run daily on the platform.
- For citizens: Teachers can focus on teaching. Parents can monitor their child's progress. Students get coherent learning experiences across grades and schools.

Milestones:
- 2020: Madrasati launched (pandemic acceleration)
- 2025: 525K+ active teachers

Sources:
- [verified_news] Education Saudi — Madrasati: A Saudi Digital Education Model Shaping the Future of Learning (2025-12-04). https://www.education-saudi.com/madrasati-saudi-digital-education-platform-vision-2030/
- [verified_news] The Saudi Times — Madrasati Reaches Millions as Kingdom's Digital Education Platform Continues to Expand (2026-04-13). https://thesauditimes.net/en/saudi-arabias-madrasati-reaches-millions-as-the-kingdoms-digital-education-platform-continues-to-expand/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: KAUST in CS globally
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/kaust-global-ranking
Hero value: Top 50 (KAUST global CS rank, 2025)
Initiative: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST); Vision 2030 research excellence
Citizen benefit: Education & opportunity
Status: active
Trend: Top 50 universities worldwide for computer science

Story:
- Before: No Saudi university appeared in top global computer science rankings.
- Initiative: KAUST was founded in 2009 as a research-focused graduate university with significant endowment and international faculty recruitment.
- Outcome: KAUST now ranks in the top 50 universities globally for computer science. Saudi competitors place at international Olympiads — including 24 ISEF 2026 awards.
- For citizens: Saudis can pursue graduate research at a world-ranked institution without leaving the country. The research base supports Saudi industry and the AI economy.

Milestones:
- 2009: KAUST founded
- 2025: KAUST in top 50 globally for CS

Sources:
- [analysis] ICEF Monitor — Updated Saudi scholarship programme will send 70,000 students abroad by 2030 (2022-05). https://monitor.icef.com/2022/05/updated-saudi-scholarship-programme-will-send-70000-students-abroad-by-2030/
- [official] Ministry of Education — Study in Saudi Arabia platform (ongoing). https://studyinsaudi.moe.gov.sa

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Working-age Saudis with AI certification
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/working-age-saudis-ai-cert
Hero value: 9% (Working-age Saudis with AI cert, 2025)
Initiative: SAMAI ("Saudi AI Million"); SDAIA training programs
Citizen benefit: Education & opportunity
Status: active
Trend: 9% of working-age Saudis hold AI training certifications

Story:
- Before: Almost no Saudi working-age adults had formal AI or machine-learning training before 2020.
- Initiative: SAMAI ("Saudi AI Million") targeted 1M Saudis with applied AI training. SDAIA built the program infrastructure and certification framework.
- Outcome: Roughly 9% of working-age Saudis now hold an AI certification — among the highest national AI-literacy rates globally.
- For citizens: AI skill is no longer the preserve of imported talent. Saudis can apply for, qualify for, and advance in AI-related roles.

Milestones:
- 2025: ~9% of working-age Saudis hold AI certifications; SAMAI passes 1.1M trained

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Education — National Celebration: Over One Million Citizens Empowered in AI (2025-11-09). https://www.moe.gov.sa/en/mediacenter/MOEnews/Pages/news1_09112025.aspx
- [verified_news] Arab News — More than 1 million Saudis trained in AI via SAMAI initiative (2025-11-10). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2622098/saudi-arabia

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Quality of Life & Culture
Slug: quality-of-life
Vision pillar: Vibrant Society
Citizen lens: Is there more to do, see, and enjoy?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/quality-of-life

### Metric: An entertainment industry, built from zero
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/entertainment-sector-visitors
Hero value: 89M+ (Visits to entertainment events & venues, 2025 (GEA Annual Report))
Baseline: Cinemas banned, no formal entertainment sector pre-2017 (2017)
Initiative: General Entertainment Authority (GEA), Quality of Life Program, Riyadh Season, Jeddah Season
Citizen benefit: Recreation, culture, social life
Status: rapid-growth-from-zero-base
Trend: Active entertainment destinations: 513 (2024) → 975 (2025), nearly doubled in one year.

Story:
- Before: Before 2017, Saudi Arabia had no public cinemas (a 35-year ban), no formal concert circuit, no national entertainment regulator. Saudis spent an estimated SAR 50B+ each year on entertainment abroad — money that left the country.
- Initiative: The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) was established to regulate and develop the sector. Cinema ban lifted (2018). Riyadh Season, Jeddah Season, AlUla, Diriyah, and city-level event calendars. A licensing framework that prioritized safety and compliance while opening the field to private investment.
- Outcome: In 2025, Saudi entertainment venues and events drew over 89 million visits across 1,690 events spanning 75,661 event days. The number of active entertainment destinations almost doubled in a single year — from 513 in 2024 to 975 in 2025. Cinema screens went from zero to 700+ across 60+ locations.
- For citizens: For most Saudis under 30, a Friday-night choice between a concert, a film, an exhibition, a sports event or a festival is now part of normal life. Money once spent abroad on entertainment stays in the local economy and pays Saudi salaries.

Supporting metrics:
- Events hosted: 1,690 (2025)
- Event days: 75,661 (2025)
- Companies in sector: 6,778 (2025)
- Compliance with GEA regulations: 92% (2025)
- Cinema screens — geographic spread: 81 screens across 16 governorates (by end-2025 (from zero before 2018))
- Norah at Cannes — first Saudi feature selected: Un Certain Regard (2024 (Tawfik Alzaidi, first Saudi film at the section))
- Saudi Pro League global transfer share: ~15% (June-September 2023 of all global football transfer spending)
- ESL FACEIT acquisition: $1.5B (2022 — consolidating two largest esports tournament operators)
- Esports World Cup prize pool: $60M+ (2024-2025 — largest single-event prize pool in gaming)
- MBC content commissioning shift: ~40% Saudi-language originals (2025 (from negligible share pre-Vision))
- Media and content sector direct employment: 50,000-70,000 Saudis (2025 (essentially didn't exist outside government broadcasting in 2017))

Milestones:
- 2017: General Entertainment Authority (GEA) established
- 2018: 35-year cinema ban lifted; first cinema opens (AMC, Riyadh)
- 2019: First Riyadh Season launches
- 2025: 89M visits, 975 active destinations, 700+ cinema screens

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Cinema, reborn from zero
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/cinema-screens-renaissance
Hero value: 700+ (Cinema screens, 2025)
Initiative: General Entertainment Authority (GEA); Quality of Life Program; commercial cinema licensing reform
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: From 0 cinema screens in 2017 to 700+ at 60+ locations across 16 governorates

Story:
- Before: Commercial cinema had been closed in Saudi Arabia since the early 1980s. In 2017, there were no operating cinema screens nationwide.
- Initiative: Cinema licensing resumed in 2017 with the establishment of GEA. International chains (AMC, VOX) and Saudi operators opened theaters.
- Outcome: Saudi now has 700+ cinema screens across 60+ locations in 16 governorates. The cinema box office exceeds SAR 1B annually.
- For citizens: A weekend night at the cinema with family — a small ordinary pleasure unavailable for nearly four decades — is now part of Saudi life again.

Milestones:
- 2017: Cinema licensing resumed; 0 operating screens
- 2018: First commercial cinema opens (AMC, Riyadh)
- 2025: 700+ screens across 60+ locations

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Riyadh Season — country's biggest festival
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/riyadh-season-attendance
Hero value: 13M (Riyadh Season attendance, 2024-2025)
Initiative: General Entertainment Authority (GEA); Riyadh Season organizing committee
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: 13 million visits to the multi-month festival in 2024-2025

Story:
- Before: Saudi entertainment events at scale were rare before Vision 2030.
- Initiative: Riyadh Season was launched as a months-long festival combining concerts, sports, theme parks, food, and cultural programming.
- Outcome: The 2024-2025 edition drew 13 million visits, making it one of the largest festival entertainment events worldwide by attendance.
- For citizens: A near-permanent fixture on the Saudi cultural calendar. Local and global artists, accessible to citizens at family-friendly venues.

Milestones:
- 2019: First Riyadh Season
- 2025: 13M visits in 2024-25 season

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudis employed in entertainment
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/entertainment-sector-employment
Hero value: 100K+ (Saudis in entertainment-sector jobs, 2025)
Initiative: General Entertainment Authority (GEA); Quality of Life Program; cinema licensing
Citizen benefit: Jobs & livelihoods
Status: active
Trend: 100,000+ direct jobs in the entertainment sector

Story:
- Before: Entertainment as a Saudi career did not exist before 2017 — formal employment in this sector was negligible.
- Initiative: GEA built licensing frameworks for cinemas, festivals, concerts, theme parks, and event production. Saudis filled new operational, creative, and managerial roles.
- Outcome: Over 100,000 Saudis now work directly in the entertainment sector — across 6,778 companies operating in the space.
- For citizens: A new career track entirely. Producers, performers, technicians, hospitality, security, programming — all roles previously unavailable to Saudi workers.

Milestones:
- 2017: GEA established
- 2025: 100K+ Saudis employed in entertainment sector

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: MDLBeast Soundstorm — biggest Saudi music festival
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/mdlbeast-soundstorm
Hero value: 700K+ (Soundstorm festival attendance, 2024)
Initiative: MDLBeast (PIF subsidiary); General Entertainment Authority
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: 700,000+ attendees at a single multi-day festival

Story:
- Before: Large-scale music festivals were not a feature of Saudi cultural life pre-2017.
- Initiative: MDLBeast was founded to produce regional and international music events at scale. Soundstorm became its flagship festival.
- Outcome: Soundstorm 2024 drew over 700,000 attendees — making it one of the largest music festivals globally by attendance.
- For citizens: Global headline artists perform in Riyadh. Young Saudis no longer travel to Europe for major music events — the events come to them.

Milestones:
- 2019: First MDLBeast festival
- 2024: Soundstorm: 700K+ attendees

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Annual Saudi cinema box office
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/cinema-box-office
Hero value: SAR 1B+ (Cinema box office, Annual)
Initiative: GEA cinema licensing; commercial cinema chains (AMC, VOX, Muvi); Saudi film production fund
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: Over SAR 1 billion in box-office revenue every year

Story:
- Before: No commercial cinema box office existed in Saudi pre-2018.
- Initiative: After 2018 licensing resumption, international and Saudi cinema chains opened theaters. A Saudi film production fund supported domestic films.
- Outcome: Annual cinema box office now exceeds SAR 1 billion — sustained year over year.
- For citizens: A real Saudi film industry is forming. A market exists for both international and domestic Saudi films.

Milestones:
- 2018: First commercial cinema reopens
- 2024: Annual cinema box office crosses SAR 1B

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudis in professional sports
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/pro-sports-employment
Hero value: 30K-40K (Saudis in pro-sports employment, 2025)
Initiative: Saudi Pro League; Ministry of Sport; Saudi Sports for All Federation
Citizen benefit: Jobs & livelihoods
Status: active
Trend: 30,000 to 40,000 Saudis employed across professional sports

Story:
- Before: Sports was a marginal employment sector for Saudis.
- Initiative: The Saudi Pro League privatized and professionalized. Investment in football, golf, motorsport, esports, and combat sports created roles across operations, coaching, and management.
- Outcome: Between 30,000 and 40,000 Saudis are now employed directly in professional sports.
- For citizens: Real careers in sport — not just as players, but in management, broadcast, coaching, sports science, venue operations. The Saudi Pro League now accounts for ~15% of global football transfer activity.

Milestones:
- 2023: Saudi Pro League privatization accelerated
- 2025: 30-40K Saudis employed in pro sports

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Savvy Games — global gaming commitment
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/savvy-games-commitment
Hero value: SAR 142B (Savvy Games capital commitment, 2030 target)
Initiative: Savvy Games (PIF subsidiary); National Gaming and Esports Strategy
Citizen benefit: Economic empowerment
Status: active
Trend: SAR 142 billion ($38B) committed to gaming and esports

Story:
- Before: Saudi had no formal gaming industry, despite being one of the most active gaming markets per capita globally.
- Initiative: Savvy Games was founded by PIF as a vehicle for global gaming investment. Major acquisitions: ESL FACEIT ($1.5B), Scopely, and Esports World Cup organization.
- Outcome: SAR 142 billion ($38B) has been committed to gaming and esports through 2030. The annual Esports World Cup in Riyadh now hosts $60M+ in prize money.
- For citizens: A global gaming industry hub is being built in Saudi — creating jobs for Saudi developers, designers, broadcasters, and esports athletes.

Milestones:
- 2022: Savvy Games Group established by PIF
- 2023: ESL FACEIT acquired ($1.5B)
- 2024: First Esports World Cup hosted in Riyadh; $60M+ prize pool

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Active entertainment destinations
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/active-entertainment-destinations
Hero value: 975 (Active entertainment destinations, 2025)
Initiative: General Entertainment Authority; licensing simplification; municipal entertainment-zone designation
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: 975 entertainment destinations operating — up from 513 the year before

Story:
- Before: Entertainment infrastructure was sparse and concentrated in a few cities.
- Initiative: GEA simplified destination licensing and worked with municipalities to designate entertainment zones across all major Saudi cities.
- Outcome: 975 active entertainment destinations operate across Saudi — nearly double the 513 reported a year earlier. Coverage spans all major governorates.
- For citizens: Entertainment is no longer concentrated in two or three cities. Saudis in mid-sized cities have local options for events, performances, and family activities.

Milestones:
- 2024: 513 active entertainment destinations
- 2025: 975 active entertainment destinations

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudi paid streaming subscribers (Shahid)
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/shahid-saudi-subscribers
Hero value: ~5M (Saudi Shahid subscribers, 2025)
Initiative: MBC content strategy; Saudi-originals commissioning; Vision 2030 media reforms
Citizen benefit: Cultural life
Status: active
Trend: ~5 million Saudi paid subscribers on MBC's Shahid platform

Story:
- Before: Arabic-language streaming was nascent. Saudi audiences relied heavily on imported content.
- Initiative: MBC, headquartered in Saudi, repositioned Shahid as a paid streaming platform with original Arabic content — approximately 40% Saudi-language originals.
- Outcome: Approximately 5 million paid Saudi subscribers now use Shahid. Direct Saudi-media employment is 50-70K workers.
- For citizens: Saudi stories, in Saudi dialects, on Saudi screens. A media industry now produces and distributes content for and by Saudi audiences.

Milestones:
- 2020: Shahid pivots to paid streaming
- 2025: ~5M Saudi paid subscribers

Sources:
- [official] SPA — GEA: More Than 89 million Visitors to the Kingdom's Entertainment Sector in 2025 (2026-04-02). https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2551734
- [verified_news] Arab News — Saudi Arabia hosts over 89m visitors in its entertainment sector in 2025: GEA (2026-04-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2638653/business-economy

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Vision 2030 Delivery
Slug: vision-2030-progress
Vision pillar: All three pillars
Citizen lens: How is the nation tracking against the plan?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/vision-2030-progress

### Metric: Vision 2030 delivery
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/vision-2030-progress
Hero value: 93% (of Vision 2030 indicators achieved or on track, 2025 Annual Report (published April 2026))
Baseline: Vision launched April 2016 (2016)
Initiative: Vision 2030 (10 Vision Realization Programs)
Citizen benefit: Trust, accountability, transparency
Status: on-track-final-phase-2026-2030
Trend: 85% in 2024 Annual Report → 93% in 2025 Annual Report. 935 of 1,290 initiatives fully implemented; 225 more on schedule.

Story:
- Before: When Vision 2030 launched in April 2016, the plan was bold to the point of skepticism: diversify away from oil, double homeownership, get women into the workforce, build entire new tourism industries — all on a 14-year clock. Many called the targets unrealistic.
- Initiative: Ten Vision Realization Programs running on a shared delivery framework with transparent reporting, ~1,290 active initiatives across the public sector, and 390 KPIs tracked annually. The Vision Realization Office publishes a public Annual Report measuring progress on every indicator.
- Outcome: The 2025 Annual Report (released April 2026) shows 93% of indicators achieved or on track — up from 85% the year before. 935 of 1,290 initiatives are fully implemented, with another 225 on schedule. Vision 2030 has now entered its third and final phase (2026–2030), focused on acceleration.
- For citizens: Every major target a Saudi citizen would have heard about in 2016 — homeownership, women working, jobs, life expectancy, tourism, non-oil GDP — has either been met early or is on track for 2030. The plan turned out to be more credible than its critics.

Supporting metrics:
- Initiatives on schedule (additional): 225 (End 2025)
- Non-oil sectors share of GDP: >50% (End 2025)
- PIF assets under management: SAR 3.41T (vs SAR 720B in 2016) (End 2025)
- Companies established by PIF since 2021: 103 (Since 2021)
- SME base: 1.7M+ businesses, 8.8M employees, 22.9% of GDP (End 2025)
- Non-oil GDP share: 41% → ~55% (2017 to 2025 — the structural transformation Vision 2030 was aiming for)

Milestones:
- 2016: Vision 2030 launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
- 2020: Phase One ends; foundational reforms in place
- 2025: Phase Two ends; 93% of indicators achieved/on-track
- 2026: Phase Three (final phase) begins — focus on acceleration & value realization
- 2030: Vision target year

Sources:
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592
- [verified_news] AstroLabs — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025: Entering the Final Phase of Transformation (2026-04). https://insight.astrolabs.com/vision-2030-annual-report-2025-entering-the-final-phase-of-transformation
- [verified_news] SaudiGulf Projects — Saudi Arabia releases Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.saudigulfprojects.com/2026/04/saudi-arabia-releases-vision-2030-annual-report-2025/

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudi economy, a third larger
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/real-gdp-growth
Hero value: SAR 5T (Saudi real GDP, 2025)
Initiative: Vision 2030 diversification, PIF strategic investments, fiscal reform, non-oil sector expansion
Citizen benefit: National progress
Status: active
Trend: Real GDP grew from SAR 3.73T in 2016 to SAR 5T in 2025

Story:
- Before: In 2016, Saudi Arabia's real GDP stood at SAR 3.73 trillion — heavily concentrated in oil revenues.
- Initiative: Vision 2030 diversification drove growth in non-oil sectors: tourism, entertainment, manufacturing, technology, mining, and digital services.
- Outcome: Real GDP reached SAR 5 trillion in 2025 — a roughly one-third expansion of the economy in less than a decade.
- For citizens: A larger economy creates more jobs, more opportunities, more services. The diversification means future growth no longer depends on a single commodity.

Milestones:
- 2016: Real GDP: SAR 3.73T
- 2025: Real GDP reaches SAR 5T (+4.5% YoY)

Sources:
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Vision 2030 initiatives delivered
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/vision-2030-initiatives-delivered
Hero value: 935 / 1,290 (Initiatives fully delivered, 2025)
Initiative: Vision 2030 program-level execution across 13 Vision Realization Programs
Citizen benefit: National progress
Status: active
Trend: 935 of 1,290 fully implemented; 225 more on schedule

Story:
- Before: Vision 2030 was launched in 2016 as a named blueprint with 1,290 specific initiatives across 13 programs.
- Initiative: Each initiative was assigned an owner, a KPI, and a timeline. Quarterly reviews kept implementation visible.
- Outcome: By 2025, 935 of 1,290 initiatives were fully implemented; another 225 remained on schedule. The "93% delivered" headline, decomposed.
- For citizens: When a government commits in writing and then ships, that's a different kind of social contract. Citizens can trace specific changes to specific named promises.

Milestones:
- 2016: Vision 2030 launched with 1,290 initiatives
- 2025: 935 initiatives fully delivered, 225 on schedule

Sources:
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Vision 2030 KPIs tracked
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/vision-2030-kpis-tracked
Hero value: 390 (Vision 2030 KPIs tracked, 2025)
Initiative: Strategic Management Office (SMO); 13 Vision Realization Programs; quarterly reporting cadence
Citizen benefit: National progress
Status: active
Trend: 390 measurable indicators across all programs and sectors

Story:
- Before: National plans historically lacked granular indicator tracking. Progress was opaque.
- Initiative: The Vision 2030 framework defined 390 KPIs — each with a baseline, target, owner, and reporting cadence.
- Outcome: The 390 KPIs are tracked, reviewed quarterly, and publicly reported in the Annual Vision 2030 Report.
- For citizens: Transparency is structural: citizens can trace specific outcomes to specific named targets. A government auditable by its own published metrics.

Milestones:
- 2016: Vision 2030 KPI framework defined
- 2025: 390 KPIs actively tracked and reported

Sources:
- [official] Vision 2030 Office — Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 (PDF) (2026-04). https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/ecdjfopq/vision2030_annual_report_2025_en.pdf
- [verified_news] Argaam — Key takeaways from Vision 2030 annual report 2025 (2026-04). https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1899592

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Digital Government & Citizen Services
Slug: digital-government
Vision pillar: Ambitious Nation
Citizen lens: Is dealing with government getting easier?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/digital-government

### Metric: 430 million government transactions, done from a phone
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/absher-digital-services
Hero value: 430M+ (Absher electronic transactions, Full year 2024)
Baseline: Absher launched 2010 (passport services) (2010)
Initiative: Absher platform (Ministry of Interior), Nafath unified identity, Digital Government Authority
Citizen benefit: Government in your pocket
Status: near-universal-adoption
Trend: 28M digital identities issued via Absher (effectively all adult citizens & residents). 605,000+ daily operations. 300+ services live.

Story:
- Before: Renewing an ID, transferring a vehicle, getting an exit visa, registering a worker — each of these used to mean a trip to a government office, paperwork, waiting, and a second trip if something was missing. For people in smaller cities or remote regions, getting a passport or iqama renewed could swallow an entire day.
- Initiative: Absher (Ministry of Interior) consolidated civil status, passport, traffic, public security and business-side government services into three apps — Absher Individuals, Absher Business, Absher Government. The Nafath unified national identity lets users sign into 500+ government and private entities with one credential. Mobile-first design from the start.
- Outcome: In 2024, Absher processed 430+ million transactions, including 33M exit/re-entry visas, 1.25M+ passport issuances, 1M+ driver-license renewals, and 26M+ business-side operations. The platform serves 28M+ registered unified digital identities — essentially every adult citizen and resident.
- For citizens: A passport renewal is now under five minutes, from your phone, at any hour. A vehicle transfer doesn't require a notary visit. Trips to government offices have become rare exceptions instead of routine annoyances. For many Saudis, Absher is the single most-used app on their phone.

Supporting metrics:
- Services on the platform: 300+ (Absher) / 600+ across e-gov (2025)
- Civil Status Agency transactions: 31M+ (2024)
- Passports & residency operations: 56M+ (2024)
- Vehicle/license operations: 35M+ (2024)
- Annual transaction volume: 430M+ (2024 (passport renewals, vehicle registrations, family documents, work permits))
- Absher transactions in 2025 — refreshed: 448.2 million (2025 (417.4M individual + 30.9M business))
- Tawakkalna multilingual Hajj services: 19 languages, 1,300+ services (2026 (350+ government entities))

Milestones:
- 2010: Absher launched for passport services
- 2015: Expanded to civil status, traffic, business services
- 2020: Pandemic surge — Tawakkalna integrated
- 2024: 430M+ transactions; 28M+ unified digital identities

Sources:
- [verified_news] Saudi Gazette — Absher carries out over 430 million e-transactions in 2024 (2025-03-13). https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/650090
- [official] SPA — Over 8.5 Million Electronic Transactions on Absher in December 2024 (2025-01-21). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2247155
- [verified_news] Zawya — Over 28mln digital identities issued via Absher: Saudi ministry (2024-12-26). https://www.zawya.com/en/business/technology-and-telecom/over-28mln-digital-identities-issued-via-absher-saudi-ministry-hzw1094y

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: 6th in the world for digital government
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/un-egdi-global-ranking
Hero value: 6th globally (UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI), 2024 edition)
Baseline: 52nd (2018)
Initiative: Digital Government Authority (DGA), Vision 2030 digital government priority
Citizen benefit: World-class public services
Status: exceptional-improvement
Trend: Saudi Arabia climbed from 52nd (2018) to 6th (2024) — a 25-position rise that is among the most dramatic improvements recorded in the survey's history. Now ranked 2nd among G20 nations for online service quality.

Story:
- Before: Before Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's digital government services were patchy: some ministries had portals, most did not, and there was no unified citizen experience. The UN's E-Government Development Index placed the Kingdom in the middle of the global pack.
- Initiative: The Digital Government Authority (DGA), established 2021, set standards across all government entities. The result: a unified national identity (Nafath), platform consolidation (Absher, Tawakkalna, Najiz), end-to-end digitalization of high-volume services, and a mobile-first design language. Saudi Arabia allocated $6.4B specifically to digital government technology in the 2024 budget.
- Outcome: By 2024, Saudi Arabia ranked 6th globally on the UN EGDI — a 25-place rise from 2018, one of the largest improvements recorded. The Kingdom is now 2nd among G20 nations for the quality and reach of its online services, and 1st in MENA for the third consecutive year.
- For citizens: Public services that once required physical visits and paper trails — court filings, business registrations, property transfers, ID renewals — now resolve from a phone. Document notarization that took 5 days is closer to 47 minutes. Court cases that once took 248 days now resolve in 3 weeks.

Supporting metrics:
- UN EGDI rank: 6th globally (up from 52nd in 2018) (2024)
- MENA e-government leader: 1st (3rd consecutive year) (2024)
- Essential services online: 89% (Mid-2025)
- Digital Transformation Measurement Index: 86% (2025)

Milestones:
- 2018: EGDI rank 52nd
- 2021: Digital Government Authority (DGA) established
- 2024: EGDI rank 6th globally, +25 positions

Sources:
- [analysis] UN / DESA via Vision2030.ai — Saudi Arabia Digital Government — UN E-Government Index 6th Place (2026-02). https://vision2030.ai/vision/priority-digital-government/
- [verified_news] Soul of Saudi — Saudi Arabia Ranks First in E-Government Services (MENA) (2025-05-07). https://soulofsaudi.com/saudi-arabia-ranks-first-in-e-government-services/

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Perfect 100/100 on global cybersecurity
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/cybersecurity-global-leadership
Hero value: 100/100 (ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2024, 2024 edition)
Baseline: NCA established 2017 (2017)
Initiative: National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), Saudi Information Technology Co. (SITE)
Citizen benefit: Digital trust and national security
Status: global-leader-tier-1
Trend: Tier 1 'Role-modelling' classification (highest tier, only 46 countries). Perfect 20/20 score on each of the 5 cybersecurity pillars: legal, technical, organizational, capacity development, cooperation. One of only 12 countries worldwide with a perfect 100/100 score.

Story:
- Before: In a country accelerating digital government, banking, oil & gas, and critical infrastructure, cybersecurity could not be an afterthought. Before 2017, Saudi cybersecurity was fragmented across many bodies, with no single national authority and limited international standing.
- Initiative: The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA, est. 2017) became the single national reference, with the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE) as its operational arm. They built a comprehensive legal framework, national standards, sector-by-sector regulation, a workforce-development pipeline, and international cooperation agreements.
- Outcome: In the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index (ITU), Saudi Arabia was placed in Tier 1 — 'Role-modelling' — with a perfect score of 100/100, one of only 12 countries to achieve the top score. The Kingdom also placed 1st globally on the cybersecurity indicator of the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024.
- For citizens: Banking apps, government services, healthcare records, identity systems — every digital interaction a Saudi has rests on a cybersecurity foundation that the United Nations rates among the strongest in the world. Trust in digital services is not assumed; it is earned and measured.

Supporting metrics:
- ITU GCI 2024 tier: Tier 1 — Role-modelling (2024)
- ITU GCI 2024 score: 100/100 (perfect across 5 pillars) (2024)
- IMD World Competitiveness — cybersecurity rank: 1st globally (2024)
- Cybersecurity market size: SAR 13.3B ($3.5B) (2024)
- ITU Global Cybersecurity Index: 100/100 (2024 — joint world #1 ranking)

Milestones:
- 2017: National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) established
- 2020: First ITU GCI 'Role-modelling' classification (retained 2024)
- 2024: Perfect 100/100 GCI score; #1 on IMD cybersecurity indicator

Sources:
- [official] SPA / NCA — Saudi Arabia Named 'Role-modelling' in the UN Global Cybersecurity Index (2024-09-12). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2170783
- [official] National Cybersecurity Authority — NCA news on GCI 2024 ranking (2024-09). https://nca.gov.sa/en/news/1486/
- [analysis] ITU — Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 (2024). https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/pages/global-cybersecurity-index.aspx

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Saudi unified digital identities
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/unified-digital-ids
Hero value: 28M+ (Unified digital identities, 2025)
Initiative: Saudi National Information Center; NIC unified identity framework; Absher integration
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 28 million+ Saudis with unified digital identity

Story:
- Before: Saudis navigated separate identity systems across government and financial services.
- Initiative: A unified national digital identity was rolled out, integrated with Absher, Tawakkalna, and Yakeen — and accepted by banks, telcos, and government services.
- Outcome: Over 28 million Saudis hold unified digital identities — effectively the entire eligible population.
- For citizens: One identity, accepted everywhere. Open a bank account, sign a contract, register a child for school, complete a transaction — all from one verified digital identity.

Milestones:
- 2025: 28M+ Saudis on unified digital identity

Sources:
- [verified_news] Saudi Gazette — Absher carries out over 430 million e-transactions in 2024 (2025-03-13). https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/650090
- [official] SPA — Over 8.5 Million Electronic Transactions on Absher in December 2024 (2025-01-21). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2247155

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Daily Absher operations
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/daily-absher-operations
Hero value: 605K (Daily Absher operations, 2025)
Initiative: Absher platform (Ministry of Interior); Tawakkalna; digital service expansion
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 605,000+ government transactions completed every day

Story:
- Before: Government transactions required visits to physical offices during business hours.
- Initiative: Absher digitized core citizen-state interactions — civil status, passports, residency, vehicles, licensing. Tawakkalna added pandemic-era and post-pandemic services.
- Outcome: Absher now handles 605,000+ daily operations — a continuous flow of citizen-state interactions, around the clock.
- For citizens: No more queues for routine transactions. Daily life — renewing licenses, paying fines, registering a vehicle — happens from a phone.

Milestones:
- 2025: Daily Absher operations: 605K+; annual: 430M+

Sources:
- [verified_news] Saudi Gazette — Absher carries out over 430 million e-transactions in 2024 (2025-03-13). https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/650090
- [official] SPA — Over 8.5 Million Electronic Transactions on Absher in December 2024 (2025-01-21). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2247155

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Citizen-state transactions, digital
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/citizen-digital-transactions-share
Hero value: 99%+ (Citizen transactions digital share, 2025)
Initiative: Digital Government Authority (DGA); Vision 2030 e-government strategy
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 99%+ of routine government transactions now happen digitally

Story:
- Before: Routine government interactions — registering a vehicle, paying a fine, updating an address — required in-person visits.
- Initiative: DGA mandated digital-first delivery across all citizen-facing services. Backend integration via Yakeen enabled full digital workflows.
- Outcome: 99%+ of routine citizen-state transactions are now completed digitally. Physical visits are exceptional, not routine.
- For citizens: Time saved daily. Transactions completed in minutes rather than half-days. A government that meets citizens where they already are — on their phones.

Milestones:
- 2025: 99%+ of routine citizen transactions digital

Sources:
- [verified_news] Saudi Gazette — Absher carries out over 430 million e-transactions in 2024 (2025-03-13). https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/650090
- [official] SPA — Over 8.5 Million Electronic Transactions on Absher in December 2024 (2025-01-21). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2247155

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Najiz — online judicial services
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/najiz-judicial-services
Hero value: 150+ (Najiz judicial services online, 2025)
Initiative: Ministry of Justice digital transformation; Najiz platform
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 150+ judicial services available online

Story:
- Before: Saudi judicial processes were paper-intensive and required physical court visits for many routine matters.
- Initiative: Najiz consolidated judicial services online — case filing, hearing scheduling, document submission, dispute resolution, family-status matters.
- Outcome: 150+ judicial services are now available online via Najiz. Routine matters can be completed without entering a courthouse.
- For citizens: Faster legal proceedings. Lower friction for routine matters. Equal access regardless of geography.

Milestones:
- 2025: Najiz: 150+ judicial services online

Sources:
- [analysis] UN / DESA via Vision2030.ai — Saudi Arabia Digital Government — UN E-Government Index 6th Place (2026-02). https://vision2030.ai/vision/priority-digital-government/
- [verified_news] Soul of Saudi — Saudi Arabia Ranks First in E-Government Services (MENA) (2025-05-07). https://soulofsaudi.com/saudi-arabia-ranks-first-in-e-government-services/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: G20 ranking — online service quality
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/g20-online-service-rank
Hero value: 2nd (G20 online service quality rank, 2024)
Initiative: Digital Government Authority (DGA); UN OSI measurement framework
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: Saudi Arabia ranks 2nd among G20 nations for online service quality

Story:
- Before: Saudi e-government services ranked poorly in international comparisons pre-2018.
- Initiative: DGA coordination produced consistent service quality across ministries. Internal benchmarking against UN OSI standards.
- Outcome: Saudi now ranks 2nd among G20 nations for online service quality — and 1st in MENA for the third consecutive year.
- For citizens: Saudi citizens get government services that rank at the G20 quality frontier — competitive with countries that have decades of e-gov history.

Milestones:
- 2024: Saudi ranks 2nd in G20 online service quality

Sources:
- [analysis] UN / DESA via Vision2030.ai — Saudi Arabia Digital Government — UN E-Government Index 6th Place (2026-02). https://vision2030.ai/vision/priority-digital-government/
- [verified_news] Soul of Saudi — Saudi Arabia Ranks First in E-Government Services (MENA) (2025-05-07). https://soulofsaudi.com/saudi-arabia-ranks-first-in-e-government-services/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudi cybersecurity professionals
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/cybersecurity-professionals
Hero value: 19,600 (Saudi cybersecurity professionals, 2025)
Initiative: National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA); SAFCSP (Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones)
Citizen benefit: Jobs & livelihoods
Status: active
Trend: 19,600 cybersecurity workers — 32% are women

Story:
- Before: Cybersecurity as a Saudi career was nascent and male-dominated.
- Initiative: NCA built a national workforce strategy. SAFCSP ran citizen training, bootcamps, and conferences. Saudi women were explicitly recruited and supported.
- Outcome: 19,600 Saudis now work in cybersecurity. 32% of them are women — well above global gender-parity benchmarks for the field. Market size: SAR 13.3B ($3.5B).
- For citizens: A high-skill, well-paid technical career path open to Saudi men and women. Cybersecurity also keeps Saudi citizens, businesses, and infrastructure safer.

Milestones:
- 2025: 19.6K Saudi cybersecurity professionals (32% women)

Sources:
- [official] SPA / NCA — Saudi Arabia Named 'Role-modelling' in the UN Global Cybersecurity Index (2024-09-12). https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2170783
- [official] National Cybersecurity Authority — NCA news on GCI 2024 ranking (2024-09). https://nca.gov.sa/en/news/1486/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

---

## Sector: Environment & Sustainability
Slug: environment-sustainability
Vision pillar: Vibrant Society
Citizen lens: Will the Kingdom we hand to our children be liveable?
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/sectors/environment-sustainability

### Metric: Greening Saudi: 100+ million trees, 130 GW renewable target
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/saudi-green-initiative
Hero value: 130 GW (Renewable energy capacity target by 2030, Long-term target)
Baseline: Renewables ~2% of electricity in 2024 (2024)
Target: 130 GW renewable (50% of power mix) (2030)
Initiative: Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), Saudi Vision 2030
Citizen benefit: Clean air, green cover, climate-secure future
Status: in-progress-ambitious
Trend: 6.2 GW connected, 20 GW launched in 2025, 44.2 GW under development — enough capacity for >7M homes once operational. 100M+ trees planted since 2021. 118,000 ha of degraded land rehabilitated.

Story:
- Before: Saudi Arabia is one of the world's hottest, driest countries — and one of its largest oil producers. Both facts made climate action seem an unlikely fit. Pre-2021, the Kingdom had no unified sustainability framework, and renewables made up roughly 0% of the power mix.
- Initiative: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) in March 2021, alongside the Middle East Green Initiative. The framework has four pillars: plant 10 billion trees and rehabilitate 40M hectares; protect 30% of land and sea; achieve 50% renewable electricity by 2030 (~130 GW capacity); reduce emissions 278 million tonnes/year by 2030, on a path to net-zero by 2060. Investment commitments now exceed SAR 705 billion across 86 initiatives.
- Outcome: By the 4th SGI Forum (2025): 100M+ trees and shrubs planted since 2021; 118,000 hectares of degraded land rehabilitated; 6.2 GW renewable capacity already connected to the grid; 20 GW of projects launched in 2025 alone; 44.2 GW under development. Saudi Arabia built the world's largest single-phase battery energy storage system (Bisha, 2.6 GWh) in January 2025.
- For citizens: Greener cities (the Green Riyadh program is reshaping the capital), cleaner air targets for the major cities, protected wadis and coral reefs, and a long-term plan that takes the dependency-on-oil question seriously. None of this will be easy in a desert climate — but the trajectory is real and visible.

Supporting metrics:
- Renewable projects launched 2025: 20 GW (2025)
- Renewable capacity under development: 44.2 GW (powers 7M+ homes) (2025)
- SGI initiatives: 86 (2025)
- SGI investment commitments: SAR 705B+ (Cumulative)
- Emissions reduction target: 278 Mt CO2/year by 2030 (Target)
- Net-zero target: 2060 (Long-term)
- Battery storage milestone: Bisha 2.6 GWh — world's largest single-phase BESS (Jan 2025)
- Trees planted (current count): ~142 million (2025 — toward the 10-billion-tree long-term target)

Milestones:
- 2021: Saudi Green Initiative launched by Crown Prince MBS
- 2022: First SGI Forum; first phase target: 450M trees, 8M ha rehabilitation
- 2024: 20 GW renewable tender annually announced
- 2025: Bisha 2.6 GWh BESS operational; 100M+ trees planted; 4th SGI Forum
- 2030: Target: 50% renewable, 278 Mt CO2/yr reduction, 30% land/sea protected, 600M+ trees
- 2060: Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions

Sources:
- [official] Saudi Green Initiative — 4th SGI Forum — Progress on All Targets (2025). https://www.sgi.gov.sa/knowledge-hub/the-fourth-edition-of-saudi-green-initiative-forum-welcomed-1-500plus-delegates-to-20plus-sessions-delivered-progress-on-all-targets/
- [analysis] AGSI — Saudi Arabia Ramps Up Renewables (2025-09-08). https://agsi.org/analysis/saudi-arabia-ramps-up-renewables/
- [verified_news] SolarQuarter — Saudi Green Initiative Advances Environmental and Sustainability Goals (2025-03-19). https://solarquarter.com/2025/03/19/saudi-green-initiative-advances-environmental-and-sustainability-goals/

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: 60% fewer deaths on Saudi roads
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/traffic-fatalities-reduction
Hero value: −60% (Reduction in traffic accident mortality since 2016, 2025 vs 2016 baseline)
Initiative: Saher automated traffic system, National Strategy for Road Safety, Public Transport Authority, MOH road-safety partnership
Citizen benefit: Lives saved on Saudi roads
Status: major-improvement-sustained
Trend: Road safety was once one of the most painful gaps in Saudi quality of life. The MOH and partner agencies report a >60% drop in traffic fatalities since 2016, alongside a more than 60% drop in road accident injuries.

Story:
- Before: For decades, Saudi Arabia had among the highest road-traffic mortality rates in the G20. Almost every Saudi family knew of a death or serious injury caused by a road accident — disproportionately affecting young men and breadwinners. Traffic fatalities were one of the single largest drivers of lost healthy life-years in the Kingdom.
- Initiative: Multi-agency, multi-year transformation: the Saher automated traffic enforcement system (cameras and dynamic penalties), seatbelt and child-seat laws enforced rigorously, a national driver-licensing reform, urban speed-limit redesigns, better road engineering, women's driving rights (often a stabilizing influence in households), and joint public-health campaigns from the Ministry of Health.
- Outcome: The Ministry of Health reports a more than 60% decrease in traffic accident fatalities since 2016, and a similar drop in serious road injuries. The Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025 confirms road safety as one of the most successful health-outcome reforms of the program.
- For citizens: Fewer Saudi families lose a son, a husband, a daughter on the road. In a country where extended families are tightly knit, the cumulative grief avoided is enormous — and almost invisible in headline statistics because the deaths simply do not happen.

Supporting metrics:
- Road accident injuries reduction: −60%+ (vs 2016)
- Total non-communicable disease mortality reduction: −40% (vs 2016 (related health-transformation metric))
- Saher coverage: Active across all major roads & highways (Current)
- Riyadh Metro theoretical peak capacity: 3.6M passengers/day (full operation — full modal-shift potential)
- Saudi Land Bridge freight rail: 1,300 km Riyadh-Jeddah (planned freight rail connecting capital to port)
- Riyadh Metro Western Station capacity: 60,000+ rail passengers/hour (2025 opening (plus 1,300 bus passengers/hour and 600+ parking spaces))

Milestones:
- 2010: Saher automated traffic system launched
- 2018: Women's driving rights granted
- 2025: Health Minister reports 60%+ drop in road deaths since 2016

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health (via Arab News) — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 — traffic mortality −60% since 2016 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia
- [verified_news] Arabian Business — Saudi Arabia nears 80-year life expectancy as Vision 2030 health reforms deliver gains (2025-12-13). https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/healthcare/saudi-arabia-nears-80-year-life-expectancy-as-vision-2030-health-reforms-deliver-gains

Last verified: 2026-05-16

### Metric: Trees planted — Saudi Green Initiative
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/trees-planted-sgi
Hero value: 100M+ (Trees planted (toward 10B target), Since 2021)
Initiative: Saudi Green Initiative (SGI); National Center for Vegetation Cover
Citizen benefit: Environmental quality
Status: active
Trend: 100 million+ trees planted toward a 10-billion target

Story:
- Before: Saudi vegetation cover had been declining for decades.
- Initiative: The Saudi Green Initiative committed to planting 10 billion trees long-term, with 100M+ already planted as the program ramps.
- Outcome: Over 100 million trees have been planted since 2021. Current count exceeds 142 million.
- For citizens: Greener neighborhoods, cooler microclimates, less dust. Cities become more livable as canopy expands.

Milestones:
- 2021: Saudi Green Initiative launched; 10B tree target
- 2025: 100M+ trees planted (~142M current count)

Sources:
- [official] Saudi Green Initiative — 4th SGI Forum — Progress on All Targets (2025). https://www.sgi.gov.sa/knowledge-hub/the-fourth-edition-of-saudi-green-initiative-forum-welcomed-1-500plus-delegates-to-20plus-sessions-delivered-progress-on-all-targets/
- [analysis] AGSI — Saudi Arabia Ramps Up Renewables (2025-09-08). https://agsi.org/analysis/saudi-arabia-ramps-up-renewables/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Saudi land rehabilitated
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/land-rehabilitated
Hero value: 118K ha (Land rehabilitated, 2025)
Initiative: Saudi Green Initiative; National Center for Vegetation Cover; Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture
Citizen benefit: Environmental quality
Status: active
Trend: 118,000 hectares restored — equivalent to 165,000 football fields

Story:
- Before: Decades of overgrazing and aridification had degraded large tracts of Saudi land.
- Initiative: SGI restoration programs replanted native species and fenced critical land to allow recovery.
- Outcome: 118,000 hectares of Saudi land have been rehabilitated — equivalent to over 165,000 football fields of ecosystem recovery.
- For citizens: Restored land supports biodiversity, soil retention, water capture, and microclimate stabilization — benefits that compound for future generations.

Milestones:
- 2025: 118K hectares rehabilitated

Sources:
- [official] Saudi Green Initiative — 4th SGI Forum — Progress on All Targets (2025). https://www.sgi.gov.sa/knowledge-hub/the-fourth-edition-of-saudi-green-initiative-forum-welcomed-1-500plus-delegates-to-20plus-sessions-delivered-progress-on-all-targets/
- [analysis] AGSI — Saudi Arabia Ramps Up Renewables (2025-09-08). https://agsi.org/analysis/saudi-arabia-ramps-up-renewables/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Renewable energy capacity online
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/renewable-capacity-connected
Hero value: 6.2 GW (Renewable capacity connected, 2025)
Initiative: National Renewable Energy Program (NREP); ACWA Power partnerships; PIF energy investments
Citizen benefit: Environmental quality
Status: active
Trend: 6.2 GW renewable capacity connected to the grid

Story:
- Before: Saudi electricity was essentially all from hydrocarbons.
- Initiative: NREP began tendering large utility-scale solar and wind projects. ACWA Power, PIF, and international partners delivered them at competitive prices.
- Outcome: 6.2 GW of renewable capacity is connected to the grid. Another 44.2 GW is in development — enough to power 7M+ homes. 20 GW of renewable projects launched in 2025 alone.
- For citizens: A growing share of Saudi electricity is clean. Includes the Bisha 2.6 GWh battery storage system — the world's largest single-phase BESS.

Milestones:
- 2025: 6.2 GW renewable capacity connected; 44.2 GW under development

Sources:
- [official] Saudi Green Initiative — 4th SGI Forum — Progress on All Targets (2025). https://www.sgi.gov.sa/knowledge-hub/the-fourth-edition-of-saudi-green-initiative-forum-welcomed-1-500plus-delegates-to-20plus-sessions-delivered-progress-on-all-targets/
- [analysis] AGSI — Saudi Arabia Ramps Up Renewables (2025-09-08). https://agsi.org/analysis/saudi-arabia-ramps-up-renewables/

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Riyadh Metro Phase 1
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/riyadh-metro-phase-1
Hero value: 6 / 85 (Riyadh Metro network, Operational)
Initiative: Royal Commission for Riyadh City; ArRiyadh Development Authority
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: 6 lines, 85 stations, 176 km of urban rail

Story:
- Before: Riyadh, despite being one of the world's largest landmass cities, had no urban rail.
- Initiative: The Riyadh Metro project — Phase 1 — was one of the world's largest urban rail constructions, executed entirely in one phase.
- Outcome: Phase 1 is now operational: 6 lines, 85 stations, 176 km of track. Theoretical peak capacity: 3.6M passengers/day.
- For citizens: Riyadh residents now have a real alternative to car travel. Air quality, time, and family economics all improve.

Milestones:
- 2024: Riyadh Metro Phase 1 opens
- 2025: All 6 lines operational, 85 stations active

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health (via Arab News) — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 — traffic mortality −60% since 2016 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia
- [verified_news] Arabian Business — Saudi Arabia nears 80-year life expectancy as Vision 2030 health reforms deliver gains (2025-12-13). https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/healthcare/saudi-arabia-nears-80-year-life-expectancy-as-vision-2030-health-reforms-deliver-gains

Last verified: 2026-05-18

### Metric: Riyadh Metro weekday ridership
URL: https://saudiprogress.com/metrics/riyadh-metro-ridership
Hero value: 1.4M (Riyadh Metro weekday ridership, 2025)
Initiative: Riyadh Metro operations; Royal Commission for Riyadh City
Citizen benefit: Service quality
Status: active
Trend: ~1.4 million passengers using the Metro every weekday

Story:
- Before: Riyadh commute patterns were 100% car-based.
- Initiative: Once Phase 1 opened, ridership grew rapidly. Western Station alone has capacity for 60,000+ rail passengers per hour.
- Outcome: ~1.4 million passengers use the Riyadh Metro every weekday. Saudi Land Bridge (1,300 km Riyadh-Jeddah freight rail) supports the broader rail network.
- For citizens: A daily commute alternative for over a million Riyadh residents. Reduces road congestion, improves air quality, and creates a more livable urban environment.

Milestones:
- 2025: Daily weekday Metro ridership reaches 1.4M

Sources:
- [official] Ministry of Health (via Arab News) — Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 79.7 years in 2025 — traffic mortality −60% since 2016 (2025-12-03). https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624928/saudi-arabia
- [verified_news] Arabian Business — Saudi Arabia nears 80-year life expectancy as Vision 2030 health reforms deliver gains (2025-12-13). https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/healthcare/saudi-arabia-nears-80-year-life-expectancy-as-vision-2030-health-reforms-deliver-gains

Last verified: 2026-05-18