Saudi FDI Inflows Rise 2.4% to SR26.6bn in Q1 2026

Gross foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Saudi Arabia reached SR26.6 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 2.4% compared with about SR26.0 billion in the same period a year earlier,

Net FDI inflows for the quarter stood at SR23.1 billion, a decline of 2.4% year-on-year from roughly SR23.7 billion in the first quarter of 2025. FDI outflows, meanwhile, climbed to SR3.52 billion — an increase of about 50% compared with the same quarter last year.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, both gross and net inflows retreated sharply from strong end-of-year figures. Gross inflows dropped about 49.9% from SR53.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, while net inflows fell roughly 51.9% from around SR48 billion over the same period — a movement consistent with seasonal patterns in large investment flows.

Why it matters

Foreign investment is a central pillar of رؤية السعودية 2030, which aims to diversify the economy beyond oil and expand private-sector activity. The figures arrive alongside real GDP growth of around 3.0% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, even as the economy contracted 1.2% quarter-on-quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis.

For residents and business owners, sustained investment inflows typically support job creation, new projects, and expanded services across the Kingdom. Investors seeking to establish a presence in Saudi Arabia can obtain investment licenses and review official economic indicators through وزارة الاستثمار, while detailed statistical bulletins are published as aggregate macroeconomic data.

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