Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and Snap Inc. have signed a strategic partnership aimed at equipping more than 20,000 Saudi talents with digital skills by 2030, as the Kingdom steps up efforts to build a workforce for its expanding digital economy.
Signed on the sidelines of LEAP 2026, the agreement, with the Saudi Digital Academy as implementing partner, will establish a long-term framework for collaboration covering talent development, digital innovation and digital trust.
The initiative comes as GCC markets increasingly look to digital platforms, creators, immersive technologies and data-led marketing as engines of economic diversification. For the region’s advertising and marketing industry, the partnership also reflects a broader shift towards building local capabilities in areas such as digital marketing, content creation, augmented reality and emerging technologies, rather than relying solely on imported expertise.
Saudi Arabia is one of Snap’s largest markets globally, with more than 26 million monthly active Snapchat users. Under the agreement, Snap and MCIT will develop specialised programmes designed to prepare Saudi talent for opportunities across technology, digital marketing, content creation and augmented reality.
The partnership will create a broader Digital Innovation Ecosystem built around three pillars: a Center of Excellence focused on talent development; an Innovation Center aimed at enabling digital-economy growth; and a Digital Sustainability Initiative focused on digital trust and well-being.
The Center of Excellence will offer training and professional development programmes for Saudi university students, graduates and working professionals.
These include the Snap Digital Academy, an in-person Arabic-language programme focused on digital marketing, campaign management and performance measurement, culminating in professional certification.
The Snap Virtual Lens Challenge will introduce participants to augmented reality and lens design through Lens Studio, combining self-paced learning with live workshops.
The Snap Graduate Program will provide graduates with practical work experience, career mentorship and exposure to a technology-driven workplace, with potential pathways to opportunities within Snap and its partner network.
The Innovation Center will focus on initiatives designed to support creators, entrepreneurs and digital businesses. One programme, Saudi Digital Success Stories on Snap, will showcase Saudi entrepreneurs and creators and highlight opportunities emerging from the Kingdom’s digital economy.
The third pillar, the Digital Sustainability Initiative, will focus on digital safety and well-being through awareness programmes developed with schools to promote responsible use of digital platforms.
Abdulla Alhammadi, Managing Director – KSA, Snapchat, said: “Our partnership with MCIT reflects Snap’s long-term commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s digital transformation journey and investing in national talent. We believe that digital innovation begins with empowering people and equipping young individuals with the practical skills and experiences they need to seize opportunities in emerging digital sectors. Through this partnership, we aim to empower more than 20,000 Saudi talents with digital skills, helping cultivate a new generation capable of driving digital economic growth and contributing to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”
Mohammed Al-Robayan, Deputy Minister for Future Jobs and Capabilities, MCIT, said: “This partnership builds on the Kingdom’s strategy to develop national capabilities, strengthen skills that support the creative economy and digital content industry, and link them to emerging opportunities in the global digital economy. Through this collaboration, we aim to empower the next generation of Saudi talent to create competitive digital experiences, develop locally relevant content with global reach, and contribute to the growth of future-focused industries, further enhancing Saudi Arabia’s competitiveness and leadership in the digital era.”
The partnership reflects the growing role of public-private collaboration in developing the talent and capabilities needed to support Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation and the wider GCC’s ambitions around technology, creative industries and the digital economy.
