Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Local Content and Government Procurement Authority plans to expand its mandatory list of national products to 2,000 items next year, up from about 1,500 currently, according to its CEO Abdulrahman Al-Samari. 

Speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah, Al-Samari said the expansion will focus on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food, and machinery, and depends on the growth of local industrial capabilities and their ability to meet government demand. 

Established in 2019, the authority aims to raise local content in government procurement and projects from about 30 percent to nearly 50 percent, while expanding the number of products on the mandatory list from just 100 national products at inception to 1,500 today.  

The mandatory list requires government entities to prioritize procurement from suppliers using locally produced goods, thereby promoting domestic industries and supply chains. 

Al-Samari noted that the authority has recently signed its first agreement in the cybersecurity sector with the National Information Technology Co. to localize products such as firewalls and data-leak prevention systems, citing their strategic and security importance.  

He added that localizing these technologies will create added value for the national economy and generate high-quality job opportunities for Saudi citizens.  

The CEO also highlighted partnerships in the pharmaceutical, food, machinery, equipment, and vehicle sectors, noting that work is underway to develop national capabilities in automotive manufacturing.  

According to the authority’s second-quarter 2025 report, the mandatory list currently includes 1,444 national products across 16 sectors.