Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity market reached SR15.2bn ($4.1bn) in 2024, reflecting strong public and private sector demand for digital security products and services. According to the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) in its “Key Economic Indicators in the Cybersecurity Sector 2025” report, this figure marks a 14 per cent increase over 2023, underscoring how digital protection has become a critical component of the Kingdom’s broader economic activity. Public sector spending accounted for SR4.8bn ($1.3bn), representing 32 per cent of the total, while private sector expenditure reached SR10.3bn ($2.7bn), making up 68 per cent.
The report noted that the sector contributed SR18.5bn ($4.9bn) to GDP in 2024, a 19 per cent year-on-year rise. This contribution was split between SR9bn ($2.4bn) from cybersecurity providers and SR9.5bn ($2.5bn) generated indirectly through related activities. Cybersecurity now accounts for 0.40 per cent of the Kingdom’s total GDP and 0.71 per cent of non-oil activities, highlighting its increasing weight in diversifying the economy. Spending patterns also showed an almost even split between products and services, with SR7.7bn ($2.1bn) directed towards cybersecurity products, representing 51 per cent of the market, and SR7.5bn ($2bn) invested in services, representing 49 per cent.
The analysis revealed that Network Security, Endpoint Security and Management, Cybersecurity Operations Solutions, Cybersecurity Management Consulting, and Data Security ranked among the most sought-after offerings. These segments reflect the growing complexity of organizational needs in both public and private sectors as the country invests heavily in secure infrastructure, critical systems, and data protection. NCA emphasized that its findings were based on a comprehensive study involving contributions from government agencies, private sector stakeholders, academic institutions, and cybersecurity professionals. This inclusive methodology provided an in-depth view of the sector’s size, growth drivers, and challenges.
Workforce development also emerged as a key theme in the report. Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity workforce surpassed 21,000 professionals in 2024, up 9 per cent from the previous year. Women represented 32 per cent of the workforce, significantly above the global average of 24 per cent. This growing participation reflects deliberate efforts to build a diverse and skilled talent pool to meet rising demand for security expertise across industries. The NCA’s classification of cybersecurity products and services into five categories and 26 activities covering more than 100 solutions aligns with international best practices, indicating a structured approach to developing the sector.
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