Saudi Arabia launches $234m funding program to boost Kingdom’s growing film sector

The packages will be broadly focused on small and medium enterprises in the sector. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 19 March 2023
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Saudi Arabia launches $234m funding program to boost Kingdom’s growing film sector

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Development Fund has launched a $234 million Film Sector Financing Program to prop up the budding film sector in the Kingdom. 

As the name suggests, it is aimed at supporting the Saudi film industry by offering financial packages to local and foreign firms to empower the private sector and boost local content. 

The packages will be broadly focused on small and medium enterprises in the sector. 

“We are excited to announce that we have partnered with strategic financial institutions across the country to provide companies working in the film sector with the financial solutions to shore up the film sector, establish financial sustainability for film projects, and enable healthy market dynamics,” said the fund’s chief executive, Mohammed Bindayel.  

The financing packages will be divided into two types of funding: lending and investment.  

Bindayel launched the lending cycle by signing two agreements with the CDF’s financial partners Lendo and Sukuk Capital to provide financing packages to companies working in the Saudi film sector.  

The investment cycle will be launched later this year and will support SMEs and large companies in the sector.  

“We invite all financial and investment institutions to join this mission to build and empower this emerging sector,” Bindayel added  

The announcement took place at the “Ignite The Scene” event held in Riyadh between March 16 and 18, which was organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.  

The event served as a platform to celebrate films and creators locally and globally as well as connect storytellers and professionals within the industry.  

The CDF was founded in 2021 with the aim of enhancing the cultural landscape of Saudi Arabia.  

Organizationally linked to the National Development Fund, it was established as part of the Quality of Life Program’s initiatives to promote and empower the development of a self-reliant cultural sector.   

The fund actively supports a variety of cultural activities, facilitates investment and seeks to improve the domestic culture sector’s profitability, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. 

The NDF boosted the Kingdom’s economy by approving financing and support worth over SR135 billion ($36 billion) in 2022, according to its recently published quarterly report.  

To enrich Arabic content, the CDF signed a partnership agreement with King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture to cooperate in developing cultural projects, spreading knowledge, and encouraging national talents locally and globally. 


Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

Updated 05 March 2026
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Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

RIYADH: Saudi mining and metals company Maaden has reported a 156 percent jump in its net profit attributable to shareholders for 2025, driven by higher commodity prices, record production volumes, and a one-off bargain purchase gain.

The state-backed giant posted a net profit of SR7.35 billion ($1.95 billion) for the full year 2025, an increase from SR2.87 billion in the previous year. The firm’s revenue surged by 19 percent to SR38.58 billion, up from SR32.55 billion in 2024.

This comes as Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to expand its mining sector as a pillar of economic diversification, encouraging international participation and private investment to unlock the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in untapped mineral resources under Vision 2030.    

In a statement on Tadawul, the company said: “Performance was led by record phosphate production, near record aluminum production, an increase in all three of Maaden’s main output commodity prices.”

The performance was also fueled by a 60 percent increase in gross profit, which reached SR14.79 billion. In its annual results announcement, Maaden attributed the top-line growth to “higher commodity market prices for phosphate, aluminum and gold business units,” as well as increased sales volumes in its phosphate and aluminum segments. This was partially offset by slightly lower sales volume in the gold unit.

Maaden’s CEO, Bob Wilt, hailed 2025 as a transformative year for the company, marked by strategic growth and operational excellence. “This was a great year for Maaden’s strategic growth. We delivered strong financial results and sustained operational excellence across the business,” he said in a statement.

“This was driven by growth in production across all businesses, including record-breaking DAP (di-ammonium phosphatevolumes), disciplined cost control across and a clear commitment to our role as a cornerstone of the Saudi economy,” Wilt added.

Profitability was further bolstered by an increased share of net profit from joint ventures and an associate. This included a one-off bargain purchase gain of SR768 million related to Maaden’s investment in Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. The company also benefited from lower finance costs.

The fourth quarter of 2025 was strong, with Maaden swinging to a net profit of SR1.67 billion, compared to a loss of SR106 million in the same period of the prior year. Quarterly revenue rose 7 percent to SR10.64 billion.

The firm achieved record production of di-ammonium phosphate, reaching 6.72 million tonnes for the year, a 9 percent increase. Aluminum production remained near-record levels, while the company added a net 7.8 million ounces to its reportable gold mineral resources through discovery and resource development.

The phosphate division saw sales jump 17 percent to SR20.77 billion, with the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margin expanding to 47 percent. The aluminum business reported a 9 percent increase in sales to SR10.99 billion, with EBITDA more than doubling in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, Wilt emphasized that the pace of growth will accelerate as the company advances key initiatives, including the Phosphate 3 Phase 1 and Ar Rjum projects, which remain on budget and schedule. Maaden has also secured a gas supply for its future Phosphate 4 project.

“This pace of growth will only accelerate. Not only as we advance projects and increase the scale of our exploration program, but as we continue to grow production and implement technology that will further modernize, streamline and unlock value,” Wilt added.

Earnings per share for the year rose sharply to SR1.91, up from SR0.78 in 2024. Total shareholders’ equity increased by 18.7 percent to SR61.59 billion.