Saudi environmental compliance sector unveils opportunities worth over $8bn

The current market size stands at SR14 billion, with expectations it will double within 5 years. Getty
Short Url
Updated 25 February 2026
Follow

Saudi environmental compliance sector unveils opportunities worth over $8bn

RIYADH: The Invest Saudi platform offers specialized opportunities with expected revenues exceeding SR30 billion ($8 billion), according to the National Center for Environmental Compliance.

In a statement, the center invited local and international investors to seize the listed opportunities and benefit from various incentives, ranging from administrative support to direct financing.

Saad Al-Zubaidi, executive director of business development, explained that this market size reflects the specialized nature of the environmental compliance sector as a supporting sector for all economic activities. 

Sectors such as industry, energy, mining, construction, services, and infrastructure rely on it to comply with environmental regulations and enhance operational efficiency.

Incentive and financing packages

The center, in integration with various government entities, is working on developing comprehensive incentive packages for investors in the field.

These packages include direct financing tools, soft loans, and guarantee programs, in addition to regulatory and procedural enablers aimed at accelerating the investment cycle and reducing operational risks.

The payback period for investments starts from 4 years and does not exceed 7 years at most, according to the center.

The current market size stands at SR14 billion, according to Al-Zubaidi, who expects it to double within 5 years.

The market diversifies across fields including the manufacturing of pollution control systems, the manufacturing of air and water quality monitoring devices, soil and groundwater rehabilitation, and building specialized technical capacities in the environmental field.

Trend toward localizing environmental technologies

Al-Zubaidi confirmed that the announced opportunities have had their preliminary studies completed and are available for investors to review their details and to complete technical and financial feasibility studies according to various business models.

The focus is not limited to maximizing economic return but extends to localizing environmental technologies, transferring knowledge, and building local value chains capable of meeting the growing demand across various sectors.


Gold rises on Iran war safe-haven bid; firm dollar limits upside

Updated 6 sec ago
Follow

Gold rises on Iran war safe-haven bid; firm dollar limits upside

BENGALURU: Gold prices rose on March 5, lifted by safe-haven demand amid an escalating war in the Middle East, while a stronger dollar and concerns around the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy capped gains.

Spot gold was up 0.6 percent at $5,168.43 per ounce, as of 11:55 am Saudi time. US gold futures for April delivery were up 0.9 percent at $5,179.20.

Israel launched a large wave of strikes on Tehran on March 5, targeting what it said was infrastructure belonging to the Iranian authorities, after Iranian missiles sent millions of Israelis rushing into bomb shelters.

“On the one hand, there may be greater safe-haven demand for gold given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. On the other hand, the risk of a prolonged period of higher energy prices that takes rate cuts off the table, and adds to the chance of rate hikes, could be capping further gains,” said Hamad Hussain, a climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics.

The US dollar rose about 0.3 percent after briefly retreating from three-month highs, as the fallout from the war roiled global markets and kept sentiment fragile.

Concerns about energy supply continued to drive up oil prices and stoke inflation fears.

Gold is considered a hedge against inflation in the long run, but also tends to thrive when interest rates are lower, as it is a non-yielding asset.

President Donald Trump, on March 4, officially nominated former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh to be the US central bank’s next chair.

US economic activity grew slightly, prices continued to increase and employment levels were stable in recent weeks, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday in its latest “Beige Book” report.

Markets expect the Fed to keep rates steady at its next policy meeting on March 18, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

Investors are looking out for the weekly US jobless claims data, due later today, and the US employment report for February on March 6 for further clues on monetary policy this year.

Spot silver rose 0.5 percent to $83.80 per ounce. Platinum gained 1.1 percent to $2,172.20, while palladium lost 0.7 percent to $1,662.07.