NCA Releases Key Economic Indicators For Cybersecurity Sector In The Kingdom For 2025

The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) has published a report detailing the Key Economic Indicators in the Cybersecurity Sector for 2025. This report includes insights into the market size, GDP contribution, and workforce metrics within the sector. The cybersecurity market in Saudi Arabia reached SAR15.2 billion in 2024, marking a 14% increase from 2023. This figure represents total spending on cybersecurity products and services by both public and private sectors.

Public sector spending on cybersecurity amounted to SAR4.8 billion, making up 32% of the total market share. Meanwhile, private sector expenditure was SAR10.3 billion, accounting for 68% of the market. The report also highlighted that spending on cybersecurity products constituted 51% of the total market, equating to SAR7.7 billion. In contrast, spending on services represented 49%, reaching SAR7.5 billion.

The contribution of the cybersecurity sector to Saudi Arabia's GDP in 2024 was approximately SAR18.5 billion, reflecting a growth of 19% compared to the previous year. Direct contributions from cybersecurity providers were SAR9 billion, while indirect contributions amounted to SAR9.5 billion. This accounts for 0.40% of the Kingdom's total GDP and 0.71% of non-oil activities.

The Kingdom's cybersecurity workforce surpassed 21,000 professionals in 2024, showing a 9% rise from 2023 figures. Various programs and initiatives have been credited with fostering this growth by developing skills needed to meet national demands and support economic and social progress. Notably, women make up 32% of this workforce, exceeding the global average of 24%.

The NCA report identified key areas where cybersecurity products and services are most demanded: Network Security, Endpoint Security and Management, Cybersecurity Operations Solutions, Cybersecurity Management Consulting, and Data Security were highlighted as essential components.

Comprehensive Study Insights

This report is based on an extensive study involving stakeholders from both public and private sectors as well as academic institutions and cybersecurity experts. It features a three-level classification system for over 100 cybersecurity products and services across five main categories and 26 activities, aligning with international methodologies and best practices.

According to NCA, these findings underscore significant advancements in Saudi Arabia's cybersecurity landscape through strategic investments and initiatives aimed at enhancing national security capabilities.

With inputs from SPA