Group purchasing in Saudi Arabia: where it stands

It already exists, for government hospitals

The National Unified Procurement Company (NUPCO), owned by the Public Investment Fund and established in 2009, provides medicines, medical devices and supplies to government health bodies through a unified procurement system [1]. It is the Kingdom's clearest example of pooled demand at scale.

Small businesses have no equivalent

Monsha'at's SME Monitor reported that commercial registrations in the Kingdom passed 1.7 million in the second quarter of 2025 [2]. Each of those businesses negotiates with its suppliers alone.

Why that matters now

Vision 2030 aims to raise the contribution of small and medium enterprises to 35% of GDP [3]. Purchasing cost is one of the few levers a small business controls directly.

Where Jmaa fits

Jmaa applies the unified procurement idea to private small and medium businesses, sector by sector, starting with the standard items they all buy.