Data released by the Ministry of Finance in its report on the first quarter of the general budget for the current year, 2017, showed that revenues totaled 144 billion riyals and expenditures 170 billion riyals, while the fiscal deficit stood at 26 billion riyals, a decrease of 71 % compared to the deficit for the same period last year, indicating that it was financed from the current account.

Total revenue for the first quarter was 144.1 billion riyals, up 72 % from the same quarter last year. Oil revenues amounted to 112 billion riyals, representing a growth rate of 115 % compared to the same quarter of the previous year, while non-oil revenues reached 32 billion riyals during the first quarter, marking a % increase compared to the same quarter last year.

Ministry data showed that total expenditures for the first quarter amounted to 170.3 billion riyals, down 3 % compared to the same quarter last year.

The Ministry of Finance had estimated revenues in the 2017 budget at 692 billion riyals and general expenditures at 890 billion riyals, resulting in an expected deficit of approximately 198 billion riyals.