GDP growth of 3% and the digital content market rising to 24.5 billion riyals
The Saudi economy maintains strong growth and enhances the path of economic diversification
Economic and financial indicators confirmed the continued strength of the Saudi economy and its ability to maintain the growth path in light of regional and international changes, supported by strong financial solvency, the efficiency of government policies, and the readiness of the logistical infrastructure. The promising sectors, led by “digital content,” continued to achieve accelerated growth rates, reflecting the success of economic diversification programs and the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aimed at building a more sustainable and competitive economy.
This came during the Council of Economic and Development Affairs’ review of a number of topics on its agenda, including the periodic report of the Ministry of Economy and Planning, which provided an analytical reading of the global economic landscape and its growth prospects in light of the geopolitical tensions taking place in the region, and the repercussions of these developments on the national economy.
The report explained that the Kingdom has the ability to deal with the current changes thanks to the solidity of its financial position, the readiness of the logistics sector in the face of crises, and the efficiency of the proactive plans implemented by government agencies to ensure food security, the sustainability of supply chains, and the flow of goods through alternative paths when needed. He also indicated that the current regional developments will not affect the continued implementation of major development projects that the Kingdom is witnessing in various regions and sectors.
The Council also reviewed the report on developments related to economic and financial indicators, which showed the continued positive performance of the national economy, as the gross domestic product achieved a growth of 3% during the first quarter of this year, driven by the growth of oil and non-oil activities by 2.9% each, in addition to the growth of government activities by 1.5%.
The report highlighted the continued improvement of a number of key economic indicators, including a decline in the annual inflation rate, an improvement in the trade balance, and an increase in the performance of the non-oil private sector. The non-oil private sector Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) also recorded 52.8 points last May, compared to 51.5 points in April, which reflects the continued expansion of business activities and improved operating conditions for companies operating in the private sector.
In a related context, the Council reviewed the annual report submitted by the Digital Content Council for the fiscal year 2025, which included a comprehensive presentation of the reality of the digital content sector in the Kingdom, the Council’s objectives, the level of the sector’s contribution to the domestic product and economic revenues, in addition to the size of the market and the developments it witnessed during the last period.
The report explained that the digital content sector continued to achieve qualitative developments that strengthened its position as one of the main drivers of digital transformation and economic growth in the Kingdom, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aimed at building an advanced digital economy based on knowledge and innovation.
The report indicated that the sector has witnessed an increasing interest in developing national competencies through the launch of a number of specialized training academies and initiatives, which have contributed to preparing qualified national cadres that meet the needs of the growing digital market and support the digital transformation process in various economic sectors.
The report revealed the growth of the digital content market in the Kingdom to 24.5 billion riyals during the year 2025 AD, achieving annual growth of 6.5% compared to 2024 AD, in an indicator that reflects the expansion of the scope of digital activities and the increased demand for services and products related to digital content.
He also pointed out that the sector aims to raise the market size to 33.6 billion riyals by 2030, benefiting from continued government support, expanding investment in modern technologies, and increasing the digital economy’s contribution to the gross domestic product.
During the meeting, the Council considered a number of procedural transactions, including the draft guide for types of government agencies, and the draft national policy to enhance emergency safety in public places and workplaces, as part of efforts aimed at developing government performance and enhancing the quality of life.
The Council was also informed of the results of the work progress report of the Committee for Improving the Balance of Payments and Economic Diversification, the quarterly report on the results of the work of the Permanent Price Monitoring Committee, the summary of the quarterly report of the Real Estate Price Index, in addition to the monthly executive summary of foreign trade, and the two summaries of the two monthly reports of the Consumer Price Index and Wholesale Prices, in addition to the basic reports on which these summaries were based.
