Saudi is ‘young market’ for video surveillance tech

• Laws ‘still being drafted’
• 11% annual growth forecast
• UAE is biggest Gulf market

Demand for video surveillance technology is expected to grow rapidly in Saudi Arabia over the next few years, industry experts have said.

“Saudi Arabia is a new and young market for video surveillance, and regulations are still being drafted,” Ettiene van der Watt, regional director at Swedish manufacturing company Axis Communications, told AGBI last week during Intersec, the safety and security conference in Dubai.

Demand for the technology is rising across the Gulf. The UAE is the region’s biggest market, with an estimated value of $194 million in 2023, according to analytics consultancy 6Wresearch.

The Saudi market was forecast to hit $163 million last year.

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The government in Riyadh has been updating the kingdom’s video surveillance regulations to integrate the monitoring of any criminal activity, according to Indian research and consultancy firm MarkNtel Advisors.

In 2022 the kingdom’s Council of Ministers approved a regulation mandating the installation of surveillance systems in all public areas of hotels, residential buildings, sports clubs, stadiums and mosques. 

Saudi Arabia’s video surveillance market reported a 5.5 percent decrease in the value of shipments in 2021, compared to 2017, according to 6Wresearch.

However, the market is now expanding and projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6 percent from 2024 to 2030.

“Advances in technology, such as IP-based cameras and video analytics, have driven the adoption of surveillance systems to protect assets and ensure public safety,” 6Wresearch said.

“The UAE remains one of our strongest markets,” said Watt. “We are seeing some growth and demand in the kingdom. We have experienced over 20 percent year-on-year growth.”

Paul Park, regional director at Denmark-based video management software platform Milestone Systems, said the UAE market was characterised by a focus on AI-driven analytics and advanced hardware, reflecting a mature approach to video surveillance.

The UAE’s video surveillance market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5 percent from 2024 to 2030, according to 6Wresearch. 

This is attributed to several infrastructure projects in the pipeline, including metros in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, new retail malls, and various residential and commercial developments.