NDF Rolls Out Financing to Boost Private Sector

The National Development Fund (NDF) is pressing ahead with a wave of financing programs designed to empower the private sector and accelerate development across the Kingdom, under the leadership of Governor Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al‑Arifi, who was appointed by royal order in February 2026 at "excellent" rank.

The governor's appointment is now made by royal order, following a 2025 amendment to the NDF regulation that shifted the decision from the board to a royal appointment. The NDF serves as an umbrella coordinating the Kingdom's specialized development banks and funds, including the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, the Tourism Development Fund, the SME Bank, the Cultural Development Fund, the Human Resources Development Fund, and the National Infrastructure Fund.

At the Momentum 2025 development finance conference, the NDF and its affiliates signed 45 agreements worth about SAR 6 billion to boost investment and support SMEs, tourism, culture, human capital and industry. The Saudi SME Bank alone signed 19 agreements and memoranda exceeding SAR 3 billion, while the Tourism Development Fund concluded 6 agreements with an impact exceeding SAR 4 billion under its Tourism Enablement Programs for micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Cultural Development Fund signed 5 credit facility agreements exceeding SAR 63 million to finance cultural projects, and the Human Resources Development Fund signed 3 agreements worth about SAR 324 million to support and enable 2,191 job seekers across multiple sectors. A memorandum through the National Infrastructure Fund was also signed to design a developmental financing model for SMEs.

Financing social infrastructure

The Social Infrastructure Financing Program, launched under the National Infrastructure Fund in December 2025, targets private-sector projects in healthcare and education with a minimum project cost of SAR 30 million. It offers co-financing and credit guarantee solutions with tenors up to 15 years through partnerships with major local banks, covering hospitals, long-term care and rehabilitation centers, and educational institutions from early childhood to higher education, including facilities for students with special needs. For residents and businesses, the programs signal wider access to funding for essential services across the country.

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