Madinah real estate project 11% complete in only five months: CEO

Ahmed Aljuhani, CEO of Rua Al Madinah Holding (Screenshot)
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Updated 23 January 2023
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Madinah real estate project 11% complete in only five months: CEO

RIYADH: A mega mixed-used real estate development in Madinah is already more than 10 percent finished despite only being announced five months ago, according to the man responsible for its construction.

Rua Al Madinah Project will span 1.5 million sq m.  — of which 63 percent will be open and green spaces — and feature 47,000 hotel rooms.

It was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in August 2022, and speaking at the Real Estate Future Forum taking place in Riyadh on Jan. 23 Ahmed Aljuhani – CEO of Rua Al Madinah Holding – gave an update on its progress.

“Through our project, we will provide 50 percent of the market’s needs,” he added.

Aljuhani noted that the scheme was created to develop the private sector, and more importantly enhance the experience of the 30 million visitors that the project is expected to accommodate in Al-Madina by 2030. 

In addition to helping achieve the goals of the Hajj, Umrah, and travel sectors outlined in Saudi Vision 2030, the development is set to revive the city’s cultural and architectural heritage.  

It will also boast nine bus stops, a metro station, tracks for self-driving vehicles and underground parking, all of which will provide easy access to the mosque and the surrounding residential and commercial developments. 

Rua Al Madinah company has also been proclaimed as the sustainable partner of the forum, according to a recent press release.  

“We are delighted to serve as a sustainable partner of this key annual event, which has become an important platform for dialogue,” stated Aljuhani in the press release.  

“Our company is committed to the goals of the forum and we look forward to positive outcomes that will help the company apply smart solutions across its future projects. These include initiatives that place smart-city sustainability at their core to assist in achieving the objectives of Vision 2030’s Quality of Life Program.

The second edition of Real Estate Future Forum is seeing participation from more than 30 countries and 100 speakers representing the public and private sectors.

Real estate experts are expected to work on attracting real estate investors into the country, examine the obstacles facing the sector, as well as find ways to utilize the technological upgrades in favor of the real industry in Saudi Arabia.


Oman’s MSX leads GCC equity markets in 2025: Kamco Invest 

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Oman’s MSX leads GCC equity markets in 2025: Kamco Invest 

RIYADH: Oman’s Muscat Securities Market emerged as the best-performing index in the Gulf Cooperation Council region in 2025, rising 28.2 percent year on year, according to an analysis by Kamco Invest. 

In its latest report, the financial firm said the MSX 30 Index closed the year at 5,866.8 points, marking one of the strongest annual performances among GCC markets. 

According to the analysis, the index reached its annual peak at 5,985.66 points in mid-December, while its lowest level was 4,223.83 points in early April, reflecting a 38.9 percent recovery from the year’s trough. 

Developing a robust capital market ecosystem remains crucial for GCC countries as they pursue economic diversification efforts to reduce dependence on oil revenues. 

“The aggregate MSCI GCC index reported a gain of 1.6 percent during the year despite largely positive performance at the country level. At the exchange level, Oman witnessed the biggest gains during the year with a double-digit surge of 28.2 percent,” said Kamco Invest.

The report added that Boursa Kuwait ranked as the second-best-performing market in the GCC, posting gains of 21.2 percent during the year. 

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange advanced 6.1 percent, while the Dubai Financial Market climbed 17.2 percent, supported by selective strength in real estate and services stocks. 

The Qatar Exchange recorded a marginal increase of 1.8 percent, while the Bahrain Bourse rose 4.1 percent in 2025. 

Despite a 12.8 percent decline, Saudi Arabia dominated regional listings activity during 2025. 

The Kingdom saw 13 companies debut on the Tadawul All Share Index, along with two transfers from the parallel Nomu market to the main market. In addition, 28 companies were listed on the Nomu market. 

Flynas was Saudi Arabia’s largest initial public offering in 2025, raising SR4.1 billion ($1.1 billion) in one of the region’s biggest aviation listings. 

Other notable IPOs during the year included Umm Al Qura for Development & Construction Co., Specialized Medical Co., Derayah Financial Co., and Dar Al Majed Real Estate Co. 

“At the sector level, the yearly performance (in the region) was skewed toward decliners with over 30 percent fall in Utilities, Insurance and Consumer Durable indices. On the gainers side, Telecom, Banks and Diversified Financials indices showed double gains that offset the overall weakness,” added Kamco Invest.