Saudi Arabia’s late entry into Africa reflects its wider shift from religious outreach to strategic, state-led engagement.
As Saudi Arabia seeks to reposition itself in an evolving global order, it’s becoming increasingly clear that no global actor can shape international affairs without an Africa strategy.
Although a latecomer, the Kingdom’s nascent African engagement combines geopolitical ambition, commercial interests and soft power projection. To carve out a distinctive role in a crowded space, Saudi Arabia will need to clearly outline its comparative advantage and long-term intent.
Geopolitically, Africa is central to Riyadh’s effort to move beyond hydrocarbons and diversify ties. The old model of religious outreach and Wahhabi export is making way for a more pragmatic focus on infrastructure, investment and influence.
Several factors drive this outward pivot. Internally, economic reform must be sustained and new avenues for growth must be found beyond oil. Externally, Africa’s untapped markets, renewable energy potential and strategic geography are attractive.
Regional dynamics are also a factor. Countering Iran’s influence remains a lingering concern, and Riyadh’s neighbour and rival United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been more agile in its political and commercial engagements across Africa.
Saudi Arabia’s Africa strategy focuses on four areas: critical minerals, agriculture, talent and soft power. Each reflects an effort to match Africa’s development needs with Riyadh’s diversification goals.
Minerals are at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s push for economic transformation, and Africa has become a key partner in securing a reliable supply for future industries such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). This comes at a time when many African governments seek greater beneficiation, local processing and in-country value addition.
To succeed in this space, Saudi Arabia must use its late entry, deep pockets and developmental approach in its favour. An investment-led approach, rather than one based on aid or short-term wins, could give African states an alternative source of capital as well as leverage in a multipolar funding landscape.
As Semafor’s Prashant Rao notes, the Public Investment Fund, which is spearheading many of these efforts, is less constrained by market sentiment than publicly listed firms. This enables long-term investments, which are crucial for transformative partnerships. With limited colonial baggage and military entanglement, the Kingdom is less encumbered than other powers. The strong African presence at the January 2025 Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh shows both sides’ growing appetite.
Food security represents another important dimension of Saudi-Africa cooperation. The Kingdom is increasingly investing in African agriculture to ensure long-term food and water security, diversify its economic base and support agricultural development across Africa. This ‘agricultural diplomacy’ meets domestic needs, fosters economic resilience and contributes to regional stability.
Notable investments are Saudi Arabia and UAE’s joint commitment of over US$400 million to Sudan’s agricultural sector, with an additional US$3 billion allocated to an investment fund.
Linked to this is a focus on climate and environmental sustainability. Sub-Saharan Africa’s abundant solar and wind resources offer Saudi Arabia a platform to develop exportable green technology and a proving ground for new renewable energy models. Saudi investment in solar and wind infrastructure across East Africa could advance Africa’s energy access and position Riyadh as a credible player in the global green economy.
Another underexplored dimension is labour mobility. Saudi Arabia’s ambitious economic growth faces a structural talent shortage at home. Africa has a growing young population and limited domestic employment options. Labour migration could be mutually beneficial, but the Kingdom would need to address reputational risks associated with concerns about exploitation and human rights violations. Done right, this could drive soft power and shared human capital.
Saudi Arabia is also recalibrating its soft power approach in Africa. Historically, Riyadh’s influence was largely religious, centred on the export of Wahhabi Islam as a counter to Iran’s Shia influence in Africa. This approach involved religious institutions, philanthropic aid and mosque construction to position the Kingdom as the spiritual centre of the Islamic world.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, that model has shifted. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 embraces ‘moderate Islam’, economic engagement, summit diplomacy and cultural exports such as sport.
The Saudi-Arab-African Economic Conference in Riyadh in 2023 hosted leaders from over 50 Middle Eastern and African countries. The summit aimed to deepen political ties, expand trade cooperation and support the African Union’s (AU) accession to the G20. The 2024 New Africa Summit positioned the Kingdom as a credible African partner and political stakeholder. ‘Sports diplomacy’ through football investments, event bids and infrastructure projects is also increasing.
Moreover, Riyadh has demonstrated increasing sensitivity to global political sentiment. The Kingdom publicly supported the AU’s bid to join the G20 and recent moves on debt, infrastructure and conflict mediation reflect its evolving role.
For African states, the timing is opportune. As the West turns inward and China recalibrates its approach, African capitals seek new relationships – especially those backed by green industrial transformation, patient capital, long-term commitment and fewer political strings.
To realise the full potential of Saudi Arabia’s pivot, several factors merit consideration. Its late entry allows for learning from the missteps of earlier entrants, such as China, and the overreach of other actors. Cleaner, more strategic partnerships could be crafted that avoid extraction and transactional models, instead emphasising long-term value addition, as well as mutual and transparent collaboration.
Saudi Arabia’s preference for relationship-driven diplomacy aligns well with how African states value engagement. Investing in people, showing respect and offering financing with fewer conditions could win support across the continent. But Riyadh’s loosely coordinated engagement will need a more institutionalised approach. A dedicated Africa Strategy Unit, similar to Türkiye’s efforts, would enhance its coherence and credibility.
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African governments favour state-led transformation and view Saudi development as a model. Riyadh’s capacity to mobilise state resources around a central vision is a powerful example of how state-led growth can drive rapid development. Co-creation platforms in green energy, fintech, smart agriculture and climate resilience could become the next frontier of meaningful collaboration.
For African governments, the renewed Saudi interest is undeniably welcome. It offers new partnerships and access to new streams of investment. Riyadh tends to operate at scale and prefers structured, high-impact investments. So African sovereigns should align their offerings with sectors that cut across agriculture, infrastructure and energy – and consider pooling projects across countries or regions to create scale and investment appeal.
African states should also leverage Saudi influence in global multilateral forums to advocate for continental priorities. That requires mapping opportunities, understanding cultural nuances and adapting business environments to suit Riyadh’s style of engagement.
As traditional donors retreat and the global aid architecture fractures, Saudi Arabia may well emerge as a key player in filling the gap – provided it can match ambition with delivery, and African states can respond in kind.
Ronak Gopaldas, ISS Consultant and Signal Risk Director