- What
- Guarantee of up to 80% of a bank loan; up to 90–95% under start-up and sector products.
- Who
- SMEs and startups seeking bank financing in Saudi Arabia.
Checked · October 2026 · kafalah.gov.sa/en · How we check ↗
In detail
Kafalah — SME Financing Guarantee Program is a loan guarantee in Saudi Arabia. National loan-guarantee programme (founded 1425 AH by Ministry of Finance decision) easing SME access to bank financing — guarantees up to 80% of the financing under its Regular product, up to 90% under the Start-Up Enterprises product (enterprises up to three years old) and several sector products, and up to 95% for Awqaf & Non-Profit — under the Regular and Start-Up products capped at SAR 2.5M for micro, 5M for small and 15M for medium enterprises. By September 2024 it had backed over SAR 100 billion in financing for more than 23,000 enterprises (64,494 guarantees worth SAR 72.5 billion). Managed by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Finance and cooperating commercial banks; enterprises apply to a cooperating financier directly or through the finance portal supervised by the SME Bank.
- Amount
- Guarantee of up to 80% of the financing (Regular product)
- up to 90% (Start-Up and sector products)
- up to 95% (Awqaf & Non-Profit)
- max SAR 2.5M / 5M / 15M by enterprise size
- a debt guarantee, not funding
- Terms
- No equity
- Eligibility
- SMEs and startups seeking bank financing in Saudi Arabia
- Status
- Active — enterprises apply to a cooperating financier or through the SME Bank finance portal (checked October 2026)
What the source says
“The Small and Medium Enterprises Loan Guarantee Program 'Kafalah' was founded under His Excellency the Minister of Finance's decision no. (1166) dated 04/05/1425 AH”
“Kafalah aims at helping SMEs in obtaining the necessary financing to develop and expand their activities, and at encouraging the financial institutions to deal with the SMEs sector.”
“The Management of the Program was assigned to the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, as a joint development initiative between the Ministry of Finance and commercial banks cooperating with the Program”
“In the event that the SME owner desires to obtain financing from one of the financing entities cooperating with Kafalah Program, this requires applying directly to one of the cooperating financiers”
“The Program offers a funding guarantee of up 80% of the funding value.”
“Up to a Maximum of 2.5 million riyals for Micro Enterprises Up to a Maximum of 5 million riyals for Small Enterprises Up to a Maximum of 15 million riyals for Medium Enterprises”
Closing soon on the map
No published deadline in the next 30 days · All published deadlines →
Compare loans & guarantees in Saudi Arabia
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Kafalah — SME Financing Guarantee ProgramGuarantee of up to 80% of a bank loan; up to 90–95% under start-up and sector products. | not published | No equity | Active |
| SIDF Promising Factories Initiative (soft loans)Soft loans for up to 50% of an industrial project’s cost; 24-month grace, tenor up to 10 years. | not published | No equity | Active |
| SME Bank (Small and Medium Enterprise Bank)Government SME bank; loans through partner banks, finance firms and crowdfunding. | not published | Loan | Active |
| Social Development Bank (SDB)Loans of SAR 50,000–500,000, repayment up to 9 years, grace period up to 12 months. | SAR 50,000–500,000 | No equity | Open |
| Amad for Entrepreneurs (alinma bank)Interest-free loan (qard hasan) of SAR 200,000, plus a bootcamp and a year of mentoring. | SAR 200,000 | No equity | Active |
| Bank AlJazira – Cultural Development Fund Guarantee ProgramBank AlJazira credit with a Cultural Development Fund guarantee of up to 90%. | not published | No equity | Active |
No programmes match these filters.
Highest amount in each programme’s own “What” line. Other currencies converted for sorting only (Gulf pegs; KWD, EUR, GBP approximate).
All loans & guarantees in Saudi Arabia → · Across the Gulf →
More programmes that take no equity →
Questions founders ask
What does Kafalah — SME Financing Guarantee Program offer?
Guarantee of up to 80% of a bank loan; up to 90–95% under start-up and sector products.
Does Kafalah — SME Financing Guarantee Program take equity?
No equity — loan guarantee.
How do I apply?
No application form is published. Its website is the way in.
Sources
Primary source · kafalah.gov.sa/en · LinkedIn · linkedin.com/company/monshaatsa · Checked October 2026