Saudi Arabia to become global data hub exporting data

Dubai: Saudi Arabia plans to treat data centers within the Kingdom with the same level of protection as embassies, Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan said, as the kingdom seeks to position itself as a global hub for data exports rather than oil.

Al Jadaan highlighted concerns from European and American stakeholders about sovereign data protection when moving data centers to other countries.

“We are working on establishing a regulatory framework to address these concerns,” he said. “Our goal is to treat data centers in Saudi Arabia like embassies, ensuring full protection.”

He added that Saudi Arabia aims to make the most of its competitive advantages to attract global players. “Instead of exporting oil, we will export data,” Al Jadaan said. “There will be no need to export energy to other countries—they can utilize it here in the Kingdom and later export their data.”

The move will support Saudi Arabia’s commitment to diversifying its economy beyond oil, as part of the Vision 2030 strategy, and position itself as a leader in the digital and technological sectors.