Saudi Arabia’s economy recorded a real GDP growth of 4.5% in 2025, driven by a surge across comprehensive economic activities.
With GDP at current prices exceeding SAR 4.7 trillion, activities in trade, industry, and construction continue to strengthen the Kingdom’s structural diversification.
The General Authority for Statistics released the real GDP results for 2025 today, revealing a robust economic growth of 4.5% compared to the previous year. these results underscore the efficiency of comprehensive development plans, as growth was fueled by a collective rise across all economic activities reflecting the vitality of the Kingdom’s economic trajectory and its ability to achieve escalating performance rates.
According to official data:
- Oil activities grew by 5.7%.
- Non-oil activities maintained high momentum with 4.9% growth.
- Government activities grew by 0.9%.
This synergy highlights the integrated roles of sovereign and productive sectors in driving the wheels of national development.
Figures Reflecting a Diversified Productive Base
The GDP at current prices reached approximately SAR 4,789 billion in 2025. The qualitative distribution of economic contributions highlights the maturity of non-oil sectors, with the contribution map as follows:
- Crude Oil & Natural Gas: Led with a 17.1% contribution.
- Government Activities: Ranked second at 14.0%.
- Wholesale/Retail Trade, Restaurants & Hotels: Recorded a notable 12.3%.
- Manufacturing (excluding oil refining): Contributed 11.1%.
- Construction: Accounted for 8.0%.
This diversity in contribution ratios reflects a tangible shift toward maximizing the role of service and industrial sectors in the total GDP, aligning with strategic objectives to diversify income sources.
Q4 Performance: Accelerated Growth of 5.0%
On a quarterly basis, results showed that the Saudi economy grew by 5.0% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Crude oil and natural gas activities recorded the highest growth rates during this period at 12.4% year-on-year, followed by wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels at 5.4%.
According to the report, oil activities were the largest contributor to real GDP growth in Q4, adding 2.6 percentage points, while non-oil activities contributed 2.4 percentage points. This highlights the operational balance between both sectors in supporting macro indicators.
What Does This Mean for the Business Sector?
These figures confirm that the investment environment in Saudi Arabia has become more mature and resilient, offering real growth opportunities in promising sectors such as trade, tourism, and manufacturing. Sustained growth in non-oil activities, near the 5% mark, provides companies and entrepreneurs with clear visibility regarding sustainable local demand and purchasing power, encouraging expansion in service and construction activities with greater confidence.
In this context, Absher Business works to support companies and entrepreneurs in understanding economic shifts within the Kingdom, facilitating expansion and compliance procedures, and providing legal and accounting consultations that ensure businesses align their operational plans with the strong growth trends of the Saudi economy.
