His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing, Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, confirmed that the facilities management market in the Kingdom exceeds $50 billion, noting that the size of the market reflects the opportunities available to maximize the value of assets, raise the efficiency of cities, and develop a national sector capable of competing globally.
This came during his speech at the opening of the third International Conference and Exhibition for Facilities Management 2026 yesterday, which is being held under the slogan "Smart Facilities.. Smart Cities", with the participation of a select group of specialists, experts, government and private entities and those interested in the facilities management sector.
He explained that the conference is being held at a time when Saudi cities are expanding and their assets and services are growing, coinciding with major national and international events, most notably Expo Riyadh 2030 and the 2034 World Cup, which reinforces the need to develop methods for managing assets and facilities and raising their efficiency.
Improving services through facilities management
His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing pointed out that facilities management has become an influential element in the ability of cities to preserve their resources, improve their services and make timely decisions, stressing the importance of moving from operating the facility to managing the asset’s value throughout its life cycle, and from dealing with breakdowns after they occur to predicting the need before they occur.
He explained that data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins provide practical tools to improve asset management efficiency by reading its performance, predicting its needs, and supporting decision-making, which contributes to providing more reliable services, improving asset efficiency, and enhancing resource utilization efficiency.
His Excellency pointed out that the Ministry is focusing on two main priorities in this area. The first is data-driven and results-based asset management, by linking asset management to the design, planning, operation, maintenance, and improvement phases, and developing contracts that connect the service provider to results and performance indicators that measure actual value. The second priority is building a competitive Saudi market that generates solutions and skills, enabling national companies to grow, enhancing opportunities for innovation and investment in the private sector, and supporting the development of Saudi talent in the fields of engineering, technology, asset management, and data analysis.
Developing the facilities management sector
His Excellency emphasized that the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing's role is to develop a clear and stimulating regulatory environment and to foster partnerships that contribute to raising the standard of practice and expanding its impact. He noted that developing the facilities management sector is a shared responsibility among government entities, the private sector, universities, knowledge centers, and experts. He stated that the 3rd International Facilities Management Conference and Exhibition 2026 aims to move from exchanging ideas to developing partnerships, projects, and scalable solutions, thereby enhancing the sector's development and its readiness for the next phase.
His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing concluded his remarks by emphasizing that smart cities are built on their ability to transform data into decisions, decisions into services, and services into tangible value for people. He explained that the future of facilities management in the Kingdom rests on technology as a tool, data as a foundation, investment as a driver, efficiency as a standard, and people as the ultimate goal. The conference, organized by the Saudi Facilities Management Association, saw the participation of more than 200 government and private entities in its 2026 edition, along with international attendance from experts, specialists, and university professors, who discussed the future of the facilities management sector and reviewed the most prominent experiences, practices, solutions, and modern technologies in this field.
