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JEDDAH: ������Ƶ’s business landscape is expanding at a record pace, with commercial registrations surpassing 1.7 million by the end of the third quarter of 2025, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed. 

The ministry’s Business Sector Bulletin showed that over 128,000 new commercial records were issued in the three-month period.  

The report highlighted that institutions accounted for more than 1.2 million registrations, a 21 percent rise over the past five years. The number of limited liability companies climbed to 502,000, marking an increase of 158 percent, while joint-stock company registrations reached 4,488, up 49 percent from 2020. 

The surge highlights ������Ƶ’s drive to improve ease of doing business and diversify its economy under Vision 2030, supported by reforms such as the new Commercial Register and Trade Names laws.

It streamlined procedures by eliminating subsidiary registers and city-based requirements, making a single registration valid nationwide. 

In the bulletin, the ministry “highlighted developments in promising sectors, noting growth in commercial registrations in activities such as video game development and production, augmented reality technologies, logistics, e-commerce, and other industries aligned with ������Ƶ’s Vision 2030.”  

Total e-commerce commercial registrations by the end of the third quarter reached 41,816, marking a 5 percent growth compared with the same period last year, when total registrations stood at 39,769. 

Registrations in virtual and augmented reality technologies surged 59 percent by the end of the third quarter of 2025, reaching 10,492 compared with 6,597 in the same period in 2024. 

The video gaming industry grew to 614 licenses by the third quarter, marking a 102 percent increase compared with the same period in 2024. Riyadh and Makkah recorded the highest numbers, with 290 and 166 licenses, respectively. 

App development licenses rose 45 percent, reaching 20,973 in the third quarter compared with 14,452 registrations in the same period last year. Riyadh led with 12,762 licenses, followed by Makkah with 4,205 permits. 

Registrations for recreation centers increased 40 percent, reaching 6,965 compared with 4,942 during the same period in 2024. Most of these licenses were issued in Riyadh and Makkah, with 3,058 and 1,890 licenses, respectively. 

Moreover, the hospitality sector grew 91 percent in the same quarter, reaching 11,987 licenses compared with 6,262 in the same period in 2024. Makkah led the cities with 4,462 registrations, followed by Riyadh with 4,317. 

The exhibitions sector recorded notable growth, with active registrations rising 43 percent by the end of the third quarter. The sector reached 26,372 registrations, up from 18,443 in the same period in 2024. Riyadh came first with 13,813 registrations, while Makkah registered 6,873 licenses. 

Licenses for logistics services increased 49 percent to reach 22,290 registrations, compared with 14,880 during the same period in 2024. 

RIYADH: Major road infrastructure projects in Belize and Saint Lucia will get a boost after the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development signed two concessional loans totaling 8 million Kuwaiti dinars ($25.6 million).

The agreements, each valued at 4 million dinars ($12.8 million), were signed on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings in Washington and will co-finance key highways in both countries, the Kuwait News Agency reported. 

The Belize project forms part of a broader national infrastructure program with a total cost of approximately $42.7 million.  

“Under the first agreement, KFAED will provide the government of Belize with a loan of KD4 million ($12.8 million) to contribute to financing the George Price Highway (Belmopan-La Democracia Section) project,” KFAED said in a statement. 

The 4-million-dinar loan will finance the government’s contribution to the project, with implementation expected to be completed by 2028. The project aims to enhance road safety, reduce congestion, and improve climate resilience.  

Christopher Coye, minister of state in Belize’s Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment, signed the agreement with Acting Director General Waleed Al-Bahar.

Coye noted that the highway is one of the most important transport arteries in the country, and the project will improve access, reduce travel time, and support commerce. 

In Saint Lucia, the loan will support the Millennium Highway and West Coast Road Project, which links the capital Castries with the southern city of Soufriere, and is frequently affected by flooding and traffic delays.  

The project’s total estimated cost is approximately $47 million. The 4-million-dinar loan from Kuwait complements other financing provided by the Saudi Fund for Development and the OPEC Fund. 

The upgrade will reduce vehicle operating costs, improve traffic flow, and increase resilience to environmental conditions. 

KFAED stated that both loans are structured over a 21-year term, including a five-year grace period. They carry an annual interest rate of 1.5 percent and a 0.5 percent service fee.  

The Belize project supports Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 17, while the Saint Lucia project contributes to SDGs 9, 11, and 13. 

The recent agreements with Belize and Saint Lucia are part of a broader push by the KFAED to expand its development financing portfolio across multiple sectors and regions.  

In September, the fund signed a $20 million loan agreement with Liberia to rehabilitate a 65-km stretch of road between Konia and Voinjama, aimed at enhancing regional connectivity. 

In the same period, Jordan secured a $38.3 million loan from KFAED to construct 12 new public schools across several governorates.