NIS

Unleashing the Kingdom’s

Full Investment Potential

The National Investment Strategy
of Saudi Arabia

We shall be working towards building a solid economy based on strong grounds that will lead to the multiplication of the sources of income...

- King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud

Our vision is our determination to become a global investment powerhouse. Our nation holds strong investment capabilities, which we will harness to stimulate our economy and diversify our revenues

– HRH Prince Mohammad bin Salman – Vision 2030

What is The NIS?

Building on the Kingdom’s existing strengths, the overall objective of the NIS is to increase the quality and magnitude of investment in the Kingdom, which will help drive economic development in line with Vision 2030 and across priority sectors with a stronger domestic and international private sector role.

Sectors of particular importance include green energy, technology, healthcare and biotechnology, and advanced modes of mobility and logistics, as well as cross-cutting themes such as innovative startups and entrepreneurship.

What Will The NIS Deliver?

Triple the levels of investment between 2019 and 2030
Increase FDI by more than 20x from SAR 17bn in 2019 to 388bn in 2030
Increase investment* from 22% of GDP in 2019 to 30% in 2030 (*as measured by Gross Fixed Capital Formation)
Catalyze new investment across existing and emerging sectors

How Will The NIS Be Delivered?

Four objectives leading the way for sustainable growth and expansion

Develop strong and diverse investment opportunities
Grow contribution of various investors in the investment landscape
Diversify funding sources
Create an attractive and competitive investment environment for global and domestic investors

Who will deliver the NIS?

The NIS is a coordinated cross-government effort, aligning all stakeholders to ensure Saudi Arabia becomes a competitive investment destination.

The Ministry of Investment (MISA) is the central driver of the NIS, working across government to identify and consolidate investment opportunities, turning the Kingdom’s potential into tangible and viable projects.

Private sector investors, both local and international, will become true partners in its development, with state investment helping to de-risk, enable and ‘crowd-in’ others.

Targeted initiatives

The NIS includes initiatives which fit within four strategic pillars:

01

Investment opportunities

02

Investors

03

Funding

04

Competitiveness and enablers

01

Generate strong and diversified investment opportunities

Accelerate priority deals using appropriate terms and incentives
Identify and detail investment opportunities for each sector strategy
Connect “Invest Saudi” with all investment opportunities in the Kingdom
Accelerate the Public Private Partnership and Privatization (PPP/P) Program
Launch the Supply Chain Attraction Program
Launch program to identify and promote investment opportunities through value chains, PPP/P, and regional headquarters, to deepen investment opportunities

02

Engage with different types of investors to increase participation

Strengthening the relationship with the private sector
Provide differentiated services to key local and international strategic investors
Engage large Saudi companies in achieving national investment objectives (Shareek Program)
Clarify the role of government and the private sector in investment across sectors
Create a regional hub for start-ups to boost entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia
Launch a program to establish a renewed “consultative partnership” with the private sector under transparent rules of engagement

03

Diversify Funding Sources for Investment

Expand models for financing partnerships between the government and the private sector
Create specialized funds for development finance covering key sectors
Create and deepen new funding products to enhance capital formation
Launch a program to promote financial ecosystem sustainability through close collaboration with the Financial Sector Development Program

04

Construct a stable, attractive investment environment for local and foreign investors with competitive, predictable regulations

Launch several SEZs with game-changing regulatory and competitiveness offerings
Create structural incentives packages and special project incentives
Ensure that international and domestic investors recognize the Kingdom’s emergence as an attractive investment destination
Launch a program to improve and increase competitiveness of the investment environment

Saudi Arabia’s Investment Story

The NIS builds on a history of unparalleled ambition and rapid economic reform through Vision 2030 to unleash Saudi Arabia’s full investment potential, enhancing the economy’s openness and competitiveness.

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Before Vision 2030

Investors have long played a crucial role in Saudi Arabia’s transformation story, though traditionally, inward investment has been concentrated around the oil and gas sector – the historic driver of the Kingdom’s growth.

Since the discovery of oil in 1938, global investors have flocked to Saudi Arabia to take advantage of the business opportunities available as a result of the country’s abundant natural resources, which in turn catalyzed the development of other related industries and segments as the Kingdom’s population grew.

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Sweeping Transformation

In 2016 the dawn of Vision 2030 ushered Saudi Arabia into a new era of transformation and diversification, driving the country to open and reform at an unprecedented pace.

Saudi Arabia has been capitalizing on the momentum behind this transformation journey to enact extensive cultural and social changes, opening up new sectors with far reaching positive disruption beyond just economic growth.

Vision 2030 has fast-tracked the development of sectors such as tourism, arts and culture, renewable energy and entertainment. ‘Giga-Projects’ such as Neom, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea are injecting the Kingdom’s nascent non-oil sectors with innovation, global best practices and a future-forward approach.

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Positive disruption

As society and culture changed, so too has the business environment. A sweeping program of game-changing regulatory reforms has streamlined the investment process, driving down the time for foreign investor license applications from three days to three hours and enabling 100% foreign ownership across most sectors.

The Kingdom has already implemented over 200 identified economic reforms designed to make it easier, quicker and less costly to do business. The risk of investing has declined thanks to new laws and investor safeguards.

Saudi Arabia’s long-term prospects have also been boosted by the promising post-pandemic rebound, which reflects decades of economic strength and resilience. The Saudi COVID-19 response was driven by swift, comprehensive support introduced to ensure business continuity for the private sector.

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The Next Chapter

As Saudi Arabia moves into the next phase of its investment story with the launch of the NIS, the country’s upward trajectory will accelerate even further and both foreign and Saudi investors will play an increasingly vital role in the success of Vision 2030.

The NIS will turbo-charge the pace of pro-business reforms through a cross-government framework that can give investors’ confidence in the longer-term opportunities available across the Saudi market.

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Download Your Copy of The NIS

Please download your copy of the National Investment Strategy

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