Riyadh: The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, has extended the application submission stage for “Wave 3 of the Exploration Enablement Program (EEP).” This program is a targeted initiative designed to accelerate mineral exploration, reduce early-stage investment risk, and attract high-quality local and international investors to Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding mining sector.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the program is part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation of the mining sector under Vision 2030. This initiative aims at unlocking the Kingdom’s vast mineral potential and building resilient, end-to-end mineral value chains. EEP Wave 3 offers a comprehensive enablement package to support exploration companies in strengthening project economics and improving their progression from exploration to development.
Key enablement features under EEP Wave 3 include up to 25% cash incentives on eligible exploration expenditures, such as drilling, laboratory testing, and geoscientific studies. The program also offers up to 15% salary cost support for employees residing in the Kingdom, and coverage of up to 70% of total local talent salary costs during the first two years, with potential coverage of up to 100% after the first two years, subject to program requirements.
The application submission stage for EEP Wave 3 began on January 14 and will continue until May 3, 2026. The initiative capitalizes on Saudi Arabia’s investment-attractive environment, political stability, streamlined licensing framework, and integrated mine-to-market infrastructure.
The EEP Wave 3 timeline is outlined as follows: Proposal submission will take place from January 14 to May 3, 2026, followed by proposal evaluation, approval, and signing of funding agreements from May 3 to June 30, 2026. Awarding and announcement of successful applicants will occur between July 1 and July 31, 2026. EEP data submission is scheduled for September 1 to September 30, 2027. Technical and financial verification of work programs and approval for enablement disbursement will happen in January 2028, with the publication of exploration data on the National Geological Database set for April 2028.
For more information on EEP Wave 3 and how to apply, visit the Exploration Enablement Program on the Ta’adeen Platform.