Saudi FDI Inflows Rose 33.5% to SR159.1 Billion in 2025: The Key Numbers

Saudi FDI inflows (foreign direct investment coming into the Kingdom) reached SR159.1 billion in 2025, up 33.5 percent from SR119.2 billion in 2024, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) (Saudi Gazette). Here are the main numbers, which sectors they went to, and what they can and cannot tell you.

The headline figures

All figures are GASTAT’s, as reported by Saudi Gazette on 15 October 2026:

• FDI inflows: SR159.1 billion in 2025, up 33.5 percent from SR119.2 billion.
• FDI outflows: SR77.7 billion, up 98.5 percent from SR39.2 billion.
• Net FDI inflows: SR81.4 billion, up 1.7 percent from SR80 billion.
• Total FDI stock: SR1.06 trillion at the end of 2025, up 8.3 percent.

The net figure is simply inflows minus outflows: 159.1 minus 77.7 gives 81.4. So more money came in than in 2024, more also flowed out, and the net result was slightly higher than the year before.

Which sectors drew the most

Three activities took more than half of all inflows:

1. Construction: SR34.5 billion, or 21.7 percent of the total.
2. Manufacturing: SR33.4 billion, or 21 percent.
3. Administrative and support services: SR22.4 billion, or 14.1 percent.

On the outflow side, manufacturing was the largest at SR25.2 billion (32.4 percent), followed by construction at SR14.8 billion (19 percent) and wholesale and retail trade, including motor vehicle repair, at about SR11 billion (14.1 percent).

Where the investment comes from

By net inflows in 2025, Luxembourg ranked first at SR24.4 billion, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt at SR9.4 billion each, and Yemen at SR5.2 billion.

By total stock built up over the years, the UAE ranks first at SR170.7 billion, then Luxembourg at SR125.3 billion and the United States at SR73 billion.

By sector, manufacturing holds the largest share of the total stock at SR285.4 billion (27 percent). Wholesale and retail trade follows at SR157.7 billion (14.9 percent), then financial and insurance activities at SR133.1 billion (12.6 percent).

What counts as FDI

GASTAT defines foreign direct investment as a long-term investment relationship in which a foreign investor holds 10 percent or more of the voting power in a company, which gives some control or influence over its decisions. A smaller holding, below that 10 percent line, is not counted as FDI. The figures track lasting stakes in businesses.

What this means for you

• If you are job hunting: construction and manufacturing took the largest shares of new foreign investment in 2025. GASTAT’s figures do not count jobs, but they show where foreign money went. See our latest jobs in Saudi Arabia and our guide to writing a CV for Saudi employers.
• If you run a small business: foreign-backed construction, manufacturing and support-service companies may need local suppliers and service providers. Our guides on finding trusted local suppliers and registering a business in Saudi Arabia are good places to start.
• If you are reading the headlines: watch which number is quoted. Inflows rose 33.5 percent, but net inflows rose 1.7 percent because outflows also grew. Both are accurate. They measure different things.

For the full tables, check GASTAT’s own releases on the General Authority for Statistics website.

FAQ

How much FDI came into Saudi Arabia in 2025?

SR159.1 billion in inflows, according to GASTAT, up from SR119.2 billion in 2024.

Which sector received the most FDI inflows?

Construction, with SR34.5 billion, or 21.7 percent of the total.

Why did net FDI rise only 1.7 percent?

Because outflows almost doubled to SR77.7 billion. Inflows minus outflows gives net inflows of SR81.4 billion.