EXPERT ROUNDTABLE: SHOW ME THE MONEY: BIG BUCKS, BOLD MOVES, INDUSTRIAL PAYOFFS
Saudi Arabia is revving up for an industrial transformation like no other, with Vision 2030 as the ultimate roadmap. The Kingdom’s green financing needs are scaling fast, as it races to hit its sustainability targets. With green bond and sukuk issuances doubling to $24bn in 2023, the momentum is undeniable.
But it’s the industrial sector that’s really heating up, fuelled by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund’s massive SR180bn in loans so far. And that’s just the start. As infrastructure and logistics grow at a projected 10% annually, the demand for capital is skyrocketing. Advanced manufacturing technologies will need serious financial backing to power Industry 4.0, while the government’s 2024 plan, with SAR86bn in borrowing needs, opens the door for foreign investment to bring in cutting-edge expertise.
The prize? Diversifying the economy, pushing manufacturing exports to SR557bn by 2030, and creating 2.1m new jobs—all while setting sights on a net-zero emissions future by 2060.