The latest data issued by the Saudi Central Bank “SAMA” revealed the continued strong growth in the bank credit portfolio granted to the private sector, which recorded record levels at the end of November 2025, reflecting the vitality of the national economy and the accelerating pace of development in various sectors.
Details of bank credit and private sector growth
According to the monthly statistical bulletin, total bank credit extended to the private sector reached approximately SAR 3.282 trillion , registering a monthly growth of 0.2% and a significant annual increase of 12.8%. These figures confirm the success of the Kingdom's fiscal and monetary policies in enhancing liquidity and supporting diverse economic activities.
Personal loans and the real estate sector are at the forefront
Personal loans maintained their largest share of total credit, reaching SAR 1.431 trillion, a 6% year-on-year increase. Concurrently, financing for real estate activities significant growth of 20.6% year-on-year, reaching SAR 382.4 billion. This continued rise in real estate financing is attributed to diverse housing programs and ongoing government support aimed at enabling citizens to own homes, a key objective of the housing program within the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
A boom in the construction, services and utilities sectors
The data showed qualitative shifts in credit distribution, reflecting the economic activity in infrastructure and services projects:
- The construction sector recorded an annual increase of 23% to reach 147.8 billion riyals, driven by mega-projects being implemented in various regions of the Kingdom.
- Administrative and support services: This sector achieved the highest annual growth rate of 41.1%, reaching 73.6 billion riyals, indicating the expansion of the labor market and supporting logistics services.
- Electricity, gas and water: Credit directed to this sector increased by 21.1% annually, recording 214.5 billion riyals, to keep pace with increasing demand and urban and industrial expansion.
Economic context and the importance of indicators
These figures take on particular significance when viewed within the context of Saudi Arabia's economic transformation. The growth of credit to the private sector is a vital indicator of investor and consumer confidence in the domestic economy. Furthermore, the expansion of lending to sectors such as manufacturing (which grew by 10.1%) and mining (which grew by 15.7%) aligns perfectly with the strategy of diversifying income sources and reducing reliance on oil.
Moreover, the robustness of the Saudi banking sector and its ability to meet the growing demand for financing enhances the Kingdom’s position as a leading regional financial center and supports the stability of the investment environment, which is attractive to both foreign and domestic capital.
Performance of other sectors
The data also included details on the performance of other vital sectors, with financing for the transport and storage sector rising by 27.8% year-on-year, the information and communications sector by 20.9%, and human health and social work activities by 30.9%. In contrast, the wholesale and retail trade sector saw a slight decline on a monthly basis, but maintained annual growth of 7.3%.
