Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment (MISA) is preparing to launch the second phase of the National Investment Strategy (NIS) in 2026, according to Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih.

Speaking during a Shoura Council session, Al-Falih stated that the second phase will focus on empowering the private sector, notably domestic players, with special emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This phase will center on providing tailored enablement programs for different investor categories to broaden the target base.

Building on the foundations of the first phase, the second phase targets adopting significant strategic shifts, such as moving from a focus on accelerating the growth of investment volume to prioritizing quality and productivity, along with channeling investments into sectors with higher economic impact.

Al-Falih highlighted that investment now accounts for 32% of the Kingdom’s total gross domestic product (GDP), with non-oil fixed capital at 40%. He added that foreign direct investment (FDI) is projected to grow fivefold by the end of 2025, signaling strong progress toward Vision 2030. In the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, the FDI inflows reached SAR 27.7 billion, marking an annual increase of 4%.

The minister also noted that the Kingdom successfully attracted 20 of the world’s top 30 banks, as part of its efforts to expand the presence and activity of major global asset managers and international banks to support the Saudi banking sector.

Al-Falih emphasized the success of the Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Program, revealing that more than 700 global companies received RHQ licenses by the end of 2025, surpassing the 2030 target of 500 companies.

Moreover, he stated that active investment licenses grew tenfold, rising from 6,000 in 2019 to 62,000 by the end of 2025, adding that MISA has identified more than 2,000 investment opportunities valued at over SAR 1 trillion.