Construction industry in the GCC - statistics & facts
Construction is one of the leading economic sectors in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The GCC has a substantial backlog of projects, including developments in transportation, electricity, water infrastructure, new residential and commercial construction, hospitality projects, and major industrial projects.
Construction is an important employment sector for the local, foreign, and expatriate workforce. The construction sector accounted for one of the top three in the share of employees in the MENA region. The region's governments use construction projects to curb their country's economic performance to increase employment and foreign investments.
Construction projects in the GCC
The majority of construction investments in the GCC region were in the establishment of buildings, followed by energy and infrastructure projects. By mid-2022, Saudi Arabia was leading the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s investments in the construction sector. The first phase of Saudi Arabia’s mega project Neom was worth 500 billion U.S. dollars and was expected to be completed by 2025. Recent major construction projects in the GCC region executed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) included the Etihad Rail projects and the Gasoline and Aromatics project. Through the work of those construction projects, the UAE has emerged as an important player in the global construction industry.Construction material and labor
Saudi Arabia is one of the leading cement producers worldwide. While Saudi Arabia is a valuable contributor to cement exports worldwide, cement is a significant component of the kingdom's construction industry and is mainly supplied for domestic use. Apart from Saudi Arabia, Qatar is another considerable producer of cement in the region.Construction is an important employment sector for the local, foreign, and expatriate workforce. The construction sector accounted for one of the top three in the share of employees in the MENA region. The region's governments use construction projects to curb their country's economic performance to increase employment and foreign investments.
