Saudi Arabia is set to host the Global IoT Congress 2025 (GIoTC 2025) from October 21 to 23 in Riyadh, positioning the kingdom at the forefront of regional and global Internet of Things (IoT) innovation.
As the largest dedicated IoT event in the MENA region, the congress will spotlight how IoT is rapidly transforming the kingdom’s digital landscape in alignment with Vision 2030.
Central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, IoT technologies are playing a pivotal role in enabling the nation’s digital transformation, economic diversification, and improvement of public services.
By interconnecting devices, infrastructure, and systems through smart networks, IoT is driving data-based decision-making, operational efficiency, and enhanced services across multiple sectors.
Government bodies, including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), and the Digital Government Authority (DGA), are playing key roles in building the necessary frameworks to support IoT adoption.
These efforts include spectrum allocation, licensing regulations, and the rollout of the CST’s National IoT Strategy, which targets integration in vital sectors such as healthcare, energy, transportation, and manufacturing.
Major Vision 2030 initiatives including NEOM and The Line are also leveraging IoT technologies at their core.
“IoT technologies are directly supporting three of Vision 2030’s pillars, namely ‘A Vibrant Society’ which aims to have smarter cities, efficient public services, and enhanced safety, ‘A Thriving Economy’ which seeks to create new industries, localizing high-tech sectors, and boosting GDP through innovation and ‘An Ambitious Nation’ which prioritizes streamlined governance, improved transparency, and sustainable resource management across the kingdom,” said engineer Abdullah bin Salem Al Bedaiwy, chairman of the board at the IoT Association, the organizers of the Global IoT Congress 2025.
Biggest IoT market in the MENA region
Saudi Arabia currently holds the title of the largest IoT market in the MENA region, projected to reach SAR 25.8 billion in 2025, with an annual growth rate ranging from 12 percent to 18 percent.
Regionally, the market is expected to grow to SAR 90 billion by 2026, while global IoT investment is forecast to surpass SAR 4.5 trillion by the same year, placing the kingdom in a prime position to lead regional adoption and innovation.
Fueling this growth is a vibrant ecosystem of public-private partnerships and local innovators. Notable initiatives include iot squared, a joint venture between the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and stc Group, which is delivering large-scale IoT solutions for smart cities, mobility, and logistics.
Companies like Saudi Paramount Computer Systems (SPCS) are offering secure, end-to-end digital services that facilitate IoT integration, while firms such as IoTech are advancing industrial automation, energy management, and smart infrastructure solutions.
Supporting entities like Channels by stc are ensuring these innovations are rapidly deployed and accessible nationwide.
GIoTC 2025 will convene companies and thought leaders from over 60 countries, serving as a platform to showcase technological breakthroughs, forge international collaborations, and highlight Saudi Arabia’s role as a regional IoT hub.
As the kingdom progresses toward Vision 2030 milestones, IoT is poised to become a major economic enabler, contributing billions of dollars to the national GDP, creating high-value jobs, and elevating Saudi Arabia’s status as a global leader in smart technology and digital transformation.
