Saudis in mobile market rave about high income

Jeddah / TNS

Young Saudis who recently joined the sale and maintenance of mobile phone market are raving about their experience and high financial returns, which they attribute to the decision to nationalize the sector and allow many young Saudis access to job opportunities and ownership of such shops.
Seller Abdullah Ani, who works at a mobile shop, says eight Saudi and four expats were working in the shop with him, and the ministry’s decision has allowed these eight Saudis the opportunity to work in a field that was once occupied and monopolized by expats.
“With the first phase of the decision which required at least 50 percent of employees be Saudi, the percentage of expats in the market declined significantly, which in turn had a positive impact on rent prices in these markets,” he explains, noting that rent of a table declined from SR9,000 to SR4,000, while profits vary between SR700 to SR900 per day for sales only.
Citizen Lafi Al-Balawi, a shop owner of mobile phones in Al-Murasalat Market, says he has four Saudi employees working in his shop, thanks to the nationalization decision.While sales have declined very little, he says the future of the sector is bright with the presence of Saudi youths in place of expats, noting that employment in the sector has high financial returns and incentives for youths. Abdullah Abdulaziz says his dream came true of finally owning his own shop in the market, following the decline in expats in the sector. He says he has been dreaming and planning for years to own his own shop due to the high income and financial returns, a reality that became possible with the ministry’s decision to nationalize the market and sector which helped reduce rent prices.