Saudi Arabia awards building contract for Expo 2030 site

Saudi Arabia has awarded the main utilities and civil works contract for the Expo 2030 site in Riyadh to local contractor Nesma & Partners, earlier than planned, as it moves to accelerate construction of the project.

The new package aims to prepare the site for subsequent construction phases and supports the operational requirements of the event, Expo 2030 Riyadh Company said in a statement.

The scope of work includes constructing roads within the expo site and installing essential utilities that will form the infrastructure backbone of the entire development.

Around 50 km of infrastructure networks will be delivered as part of the package, including water, sewage, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and electrical and communication systems.

“This milestone marks an important step in accelerating construction activities in the Expo 2030 Riyadh site,” said Talal Al-Marri, CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh Company.

“By moving early on the infrastructure that underpins the entire site, we are creating the conditions for safe, coordinated, and high-quality delivery across all future phases of development,” said Talal Al-Marri, CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh Company.

The contract has been awarded ahead of schedule to accelerate delivery, as part of a phased approach that will see construction across infrastructure, buildings, and public spaces advance steadily through 2026 and into early 2027, he said.

The value and completion timeline of the contract were not disclosed.

Expo 2030 Riyadh consists of a 6 million square metre site that will host 197 nations and 29 organisations, expecting more than 42 million visits across five distinct districts.  

The expo will be held under the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow” between October 1, 2030, and March 31, 2031.

In November 2023 Saudi Arabia won the bid to host World Expo 2030 in Riyadh, surpassing Busan, South Korea, and Rome, Italy.

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said the kingdom has allocated $348 million to a group of 100 eligible countries participating in the expo.