Cement demand in Saudi Arabia likely to remain strong: Riyadh Cement CEO

Shoeil Al Ayed, CEO of Riyadh Cement Co.

Shoeil Al Ayed, CEO of Riyadh Cement Co., said cement demand in Saudi Arabia is expected to remain strong over the next 10 years, driven by major government projects, housing developments, as well as individual construction projects.
 

Consumption varies from year to year depending on the nature of projects, Al Ayed told Radio Asharq.
 

He added that some mega-projects require around six years to complete, while others may extend to nearly 10 years.
 

The CEO noted that demand has been recording steady and accelerating growth since the beginning of 2021, rising by 13% in 2025 following the launch of large-scale projects, and is expected to continue growing in 2026 and beyond.
 

Riyadh Cement has recently shifted to using gas instead of liquid fuel under the Liquid Fuel Displacement Program supported by the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Al Ayed said. He expects that by the end of 2026, the company will have electricity supplied from the national grid, in addition to gas as an alternative to liquid fuel.
 

According to Argaam data, Riyadh Cement has recently signed a SAR 59.4 million contract for transition to natural gas usage under the Liquid Fuel Displacement Program over a period of 12 months, aimed at improving fuel efficiency, enhancing operational reliability, and reducing costs.