MOSCOW: A plan to list Saudi Aramco in 2018 is on track, senior Saudi officials said in Moscow on Thursday.
The plan to float around 5 percent of Aramco in an initial public offering (IPO) is a centerpiece of Vision 2030, a wide-ranging reform plan to diversify the Saudi economy beyond oil which is being championed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Work is ongoing to list Saudi Aramco in 2018,” Aramco’s Chief Executive Amin Nasser said at an energy forum in Moscow.
“We will be looking at (evaluating) investors as we continue to make progress related to timing and location.”
Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih, who is also Aramco’s chairman, said on Thursday that the IPO would happen in the second half of 2018, adding that the listing would be used as a “catalyst” for the opening up of the Saudi economy.
The announcement about the company’s IPO will be made “in due course,” he said while taking part in a panel discussion of an energy forum in Moscow.
Crown Prince Mohammed has said the IPO, which could be the world’s biggest, will value Aramco at a minimum of $2 trillion and could raise as much as $100 billion.
Money raised from the sale will be used to develop other sectors and industries in the country.
Aramco’s listing is planned on Saudi Arabia’s local stock market plus at least one overseas exchange. New York, London and Hong Kong are the main contenders.
Nasser said the Saudi government would decide on the listing venue and that there were no current talks with Russian companies on them taking part in the IPO.
Both Al-Falih and Nasser are part of an official Saudi visit to Moscow.
King Salman is in Russia on a state visit, the first to Moscow by a reigning Saudi monarch.
Several investment agreements will be signed during King Salman’s trip and plans for a $1-billion fund to invest in energy projects are likely to be finalized. These are part of efforts by two of the world’s biggest oil producers to increase cooperation.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday Russia and Saudi Arabia would sign joint investment agreements worth more than $3 billion during the visit.
One of those was a memorandum of understanding signed on Thursday between Aramco and Russia’s oil trading company Litasco. Other similar agreements with Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, and Sibur will also be signed.
Nasser said Aramco was discussing several investment opportunities with Russian firms.
“LNG (liquefied natural gas) is one of the areas where we are looking to collaborate with Russian partners,” he said, giving an example of the MoUs that will be signed with Gazprom and Gazprom Neft
The Russian Direct Investment Fund on Thursday will also sign an MoU with Aramco and the Public Investment Fund for investments in energy services and manufacturing.
Saudi Aramco IPO on track for 2018
Saudi Aramco IPO on track for 2018
Saudi investment hits 32% of GDP, non-oil fixed capital reaches 40%, minister says
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s investment now accounts for 32 percent of gross domestic product, with non-oil fixed capital at 40 percent, according to the minister responsible for portfolio.
Speaking during his visit to the Shoura Council, Khalid Al-Falih said that foreign direct investment is expected to grow fivefold, signaling strong Vision 2030 progress.
“Regarding cumulative performance, the Kingdom has exceeded all expectations, achieving high levels of investment,” Al-Falih said, according to a video posted on Al-Ekhbariya’s X account focused on economic matters.
The minister added: “Today, investment accounts for 32 percent of the total GDP. In terms of non-oil GDP, fixed capital represents 40 percent, compared with 41 percent in China, the highest globally.”
If we take the non-oil GDP, he said, fixed capital will make 40 percent. “China is the largest globally with 41 percent. So, we will rank second if we compare it to the non-oil economy and fourth when measured against total GDP,” Al-Falih said.
He emphasized that the Kingdom offers an investment-attractive environment, noting that when focusing on foreign direct investment rather than overall investment, Saudi Arabia ranks among the world’s highest.
The minister of investment added that FDI is expected to grow fivefold by the end of 2025, though these data require confirmation, stressing that this is “a big indicator for the success of Saudi Vision 2030.”
During his address to the session, Al-Falih emphasized that Saudi Vision 2030 prioritizes economic diversification and reducing dependence on oil, through boosting the private sector’s contribution to inclusive economic development, supporting national sectoral priorities, and driving growth in the Kingdom’s GDP.
He highlighted key initiatives enabling the private sector, including the establishment of the Ministry of Investment and the Saudi Investment Promotion Authority, the launch of the “Shareek” program, the development of the National Investment Strategy, and linking all stakeholders in the investment ecosystem.
“The Cabinet’s adoption of the National Investment Strategy, launched by Crown Prince in 2021 and implemented in 2022 as a comprehensive national framework, has played a major role in positioning investment as a driver of economic growth,” he said.
Al-Falih revealed that the ministry has identified more than 2,000 investment opportunities worth over SR1 trillion ($267 billion), noting that 346 of these opportunities have been converted into closed deals valued at over SR231 billion through the “Invest Saudi” platform.
He also highlighted the success of the regional headquarters attraction program, with licenses issued to more than 700 global companies by the end of 2025, surpassing the 2030 target of 500 companies, across diverse sectors that reinforce Saudi Arabia’s role as a regional business hub.
The minister revealed that active investment licenses have grown tenfold, rising from 6,000 in 2019 to 62,000 by the end of 2025, highlighting the role of companies in creating over one million jobs, including numerous positions for Saudi nationals.
Al-Falih noted the Kingdom’s success in attracting 20 of the world’s top 30 banks, as part of efforts to strengthen the presence of leading asset managers and international banks in support of the Saudi banking sector.
He also discussed reforms to enhance the business environment, such as the Civil Transactions Law, Companies Law, and the updated Investment Law issued in mid-2024, which contributed to Saudi Arabia moving up 15 places in the global competitiveness ranking.
The minister also announced the update of the National Investment Strategy in 2025, focusing on quality, productivity, and directing investments toward sectors with the highest economic impact, while developing financing solutions for SMEs.
