KARACHI:
Pakistan is gearing up to expand its IT and IT-enabled services exports to Saudi Arabia, aiming to double them from $50 million to $100 million in the coming months. This growth is driven by the increasing presence of major Pakistani IT firms in the Kingdom.
In November 2024, Saudi Arabia unveiled a massive $100 billion initiative for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data infrastructure, inviting global companies to invest and contribute to its development.
Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), Muhammad Umair Nizam, stated that Pakistani IT firms and the government are prioritizing strategies to tap into non-traditional markets like Saudi Arabia.
“We successfully doubled our exports to $50 million last year. Now, Pakistan’s IT industry is actively working to further accelerate IT and IT-enabled service exports to the Kingdom,” he said.
To achieve this, key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoITT), Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), and P@SHA, are implementing an aggressive strategy to foster collaboration through joint ventures and consortiums.
Several Pakistani IT firms participated in major tech trade events in Saudi Arabia last year. This year, their participation is set to increase by 20-25% at LEAP 2025—a global tech event scheduled for February 9-12 in Riyadh. Over 1,000 Pakistani delegates are expected to attend.
“We anticipate multiple business deals and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) at LEAP 2025, which will significantly boost exports,” said Nizam.
To facilitate Pakistani companies, the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) has set up a dedicated help desk, streamlining the registration process. This has led to over 100 Pakistani tech firms establishing a presence in Saudi Arabia.
In 2024, Pakistan also became a member of the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO), further strengthening its digital trade ties with the region.
Saad Shah, a Pakistani IT exporter in Saudi Arabia, emphasized the growing opportunities for Pakistani firms in the Kingdom. He encouraged them to focus on enterprise solutions, AI, cloud computing, and data centers to secure lucrative projects from multinational and public-sector entities.
LEAP 2025 is expected to provide a major boost, not just for IT exports to Saudi Arabia but also for expansion across the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The event will feature over 1,800 tech brands and attract an estimated 170,000 visitors.
