The CEO of the Small and Medium Enterprises Bank (SME Bank), Ibrahim Alrashid, stated that Saudi Arabia’s funding sector has seen a significant transformation since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030. This shift has been reflected in the advancement of funding tools and policies, with the Kingdom successfully achieving its SME funding and lending targets in 2025.

His remarks came during the opening session of Funding Week, organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority “Monsha’at”, in collaboration with the SME Bank, held from May 3 to 7, 2026. The event takes place across SMEs Support Centers in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al-Khobar, and Madinah as part of the Business Weeks series, aiming to enhance SMEs’ access to funding solutions and improve their readiness to benefit from them.

Alrashed highlighted that the total cumulative credit facilities extended to MSMEs in the Kingdom reached approximately SAR 467 billion by the end of 2025, representing 33% year-on-year increase. He emphasized ongoing efforts to further expand this impact to help bridge funding gaps in the sector. He also projected that the sector will witness a major leap over the next five years, driven by three main pillars: indirect funding, the Kafalah program, and venture capital.

He added that the Kafalah program has enabled 46 companies to transition to the parallel market (Nomu), strengthening their presence in the capital market. The program is considered a key pillar in the funding ecosystem, as it mitigates risks and provides guarantees. Since its launch in 2006, it has supported more than 27,000 enterprises through over 73,000 guarantees, with total funding nearing SAR 135 billion.

Alrashed noted that the bank focuses more on supporting existing businesses rather than startups, in order to enhance sustainability and drive expansion. He also indicated that the bank aims to inject SAR 19 billion into funding services in the coming years.

The launch of Funding Week reflects Monsha’at’s continued efforts to empower SMEs, connect them with funding and enabling entities, and raise awareness of available funding options, ultimately supporting their growth, sustainability, and contribution to the national economy.

The first day featured several specialized sessions and meetings discussing funding solutions offered by public and private sector enablers, as well as the digital transformation in financial services in the Kingdom, in addition to the Saudi Industrial Development Fund’s funding and consultation offerings.

Monsha’at invited SME owners and entrepreneurs to register via the provided link to benefit from the week’s activities: https://www.monshaat.gov.sa/en/node/460497