Works on the world’s tallest skyscraper has resumed after a multi-year pause

Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower is set to become the world’s tallest skyscraper. Its construction has resumed nearly seven years after work was resumed during a nationwide anti-corruption crackdown. At a ceremony held on-site Wednesday, the Jeddah Economic Company (JEC) announced that the 1,000-meter tower is expected to be completed by 2028.

Work on the tower was about one-third complete in 2017 when key figures, including the heads of the main contractor, were detained in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s anti-corruption campaign. Although construction continued, it was again halted in early 2018. Despite reassurances from JEC that the project would proceed, a years-long pause followed.

Wednesday's ceremony was attended by Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, one of the project’s main backers. Alwaleed, detained during the anti-corruption purge, was released after nearly three months, though the details of his release remain unclear. Following the event, he posted a video on X showcasing a digital rendering of the tower with the caption: "We’re back."

Another key figure involved in the anti-corruption campaign, Bakr bin Laden, head of the tower’s primary contractor Saudi Binladen Group, was reportedly released in 2021, three years after his arrest. His company, which also holds a stake in the project, has been re-contracted to complete the tower’s construction. The new contract is valued at 7.2 billion riyals ($1.9 billion), with approximately 1.1 billion riyals ($290 million) already paid for completed work. Currently, 63 of the tower’s 157 floors have been built.

While the ceremony was the first official confirmation of resumed work, satellite images from two months ago, provided by Maxar Technologies, indicated that activity had already restarted. In September 2023, Dubai-based magazine MEED reported that JEC had invited contractors to bid for the project.