MATARAT Holding, in partnership with the National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP), has launched the Expression of Interest stage for the Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport. This step strengthens Saudi Arabia’s airport PPP program and supports Vision 2030 goals. The airport sits about 25 kilometers west of Buraidah in Al Qassim Province. It serves as a key regional gateway for central Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia handled more than 112 million passengers in 2023, showing strong recovery and rising demand. The national aviation strategy targets 330 million passengers annually by 2030. Therefore, authorities aim to upgrade Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport into a modern hub that supports tourism and logistics growth. The project will enhance regional connectivity and improve service standards. Investors are expected to show strong interest due to regulatory clarity and steady traffic growth.
The Prince Naif Airport PPP will follow a 30-year Build-Transfer-Operate model. Under this structure, the private partner will design, finance, construct, operate, and maintain the airport. At the end of the term, the partner will transfer the asset to the government. This model encourages efficiency while protecting public ownership.
The scope includes building a new passenger terminal and expanding support facilities. The concessionaire will also upgrade runways, taxiways, and aircraft aprons. These improvements will increase capacity and strengthen operational performance. In addition, digital systems will improve passenger flow and security processes. Globally, airport PPPs attract institutional investors seeking stable, long-term returns. Saudi Arabia has already completed successful airport concessions in Madinah and Jeddah. Those transactions increased investor confidence in the Kingdom’s aviation framework.
The Prince Naif Airport PPP forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader airport public-private partnership program led by MATARAT Holding and NCP. The government aims to diversify revenue, improve service quality, and reduce fiscal pressure. At the same time, it promotes transparent procurement and balanced risk allocation.
Saudi Arabia expects the aviation sector to contribute more than USD 80 billion to GDP by 2030. The sector will also create hundreds of thousands of jobs. As regional competition intensifies, infrastructure upgrades become essential. Therefore, this EOI signals continued momentum in transport and logistics PPP projects. Market participants will now monitor bidder responses and qualification results closely.
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