For decades, business credit in Saudi Arabia has operated onrigid terms. Access to working capital was reserved for a few: those with longfinancial histories, collateral, or relationships with banks. But as theKingdom’s economy transforms under Vision 2030, a new generation ofentrepreneurs, from FMCG distributors to office supply resellers, is demandinga faster, more inclusive model. One that moves at the speed of trade, not thepace of paperwork.

Enter Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) for B2B; a modelthat’s rapidly redefining how businesses access short-term credit. And whilethe concept is not new, the way it’s being applied in Saudi Arabia is.

At the heart of this transformation is Aajil, a Saudicompany that began by serving the construction sector, and is now scaling itsBNPL infrastructure to power all sectors of the real economy.

The Legacy of Credit Concentration

Saudi Arabia’s private sector is dominated by small andmedium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These businesses are critical to the country’sdiversification goals, yet their access to flexible, fast credit hashistorically been limited.

Traditionally, lending in the Kingdom has concentrated ontwo ends of the spectrum: large corporates and government-linked projects onone side, and individual consumers on the other. SMEs, especially infast-moving, inventory-heavy industries like FMCG, hospitality supply, orwholesale trade, have been largely excluded.

While banks prefer long-term loans with strict underwriting,most SMEs need short-term liquidity to stock shelves, fulfill large clientorders, or buy from suppliers in bulk. Often, the opportunity is there but theworking capital is not.

Why BNPL Is More Than a Payment Method

BNPL is often misunderstood as a consumer tool. Globally,it’s associated with retail platforms and installment-based e-commerce. But inthe B2B context, BNPL is fundamentally different, it acts as a form of embeddedtrade credit, enabling businesses to:

• Buy goods or materials now
• Pay over a set period (typically 30–180 days)
• Maintain cash flow while keeping operations moving

For SMEs in sectors with thin margins or seasonality, thismodel is not a convenience, it’s survival.

And unlike traditional credit lines, BNPL is transaction-based,embedded, and fast. There’s no long application process, no complexinterest calculations, and no need for financial statements in many cases. It’sa credit experience reimagined for the modern business.

The Sectoral Opportunity in Saudi Arabia

As Aajil expands its BNPL offering, the goal isn’t just todigitize credit, but to democratize it across industries. Many of thesesectors have long relied on informal supplier terms, verbal agreements, orrisky overextensions to keep inventory flowing.

Take these examples:

• FMCG & Foodservice distributors juggling multiple vendor payments weekly.
• Cleaning and hygiene product resellers needing to stock large quantities ahead of public contracts.
• Stationery and office supply wholesalers serving schools and government entities on fixed payment schedules.
• Beauty, health, and salon suppliers adapting to seasonal demand surges.

In all these sectors, liquidity gaps emerge not because ofpoor performance, but because of rigid financial infrastructure. BNPL bridgesthat gap, enabling businesses to fulfill demand without overextending cashreserves.

Aajil’s Model: From Materials to Movement

Aajil’s entry point was construction, one of the Kingdom’smost credit-constrained sectors. Contractors and sub-suppliers often faceddelayed payments and front-loaded material costs. Aajil’s BNPL platform helpedunlock financing for purchases like rebar, cement, and electrical supplies, withapproval times measured in hours, not weeks.

But the real vision was always broader.

What if every business in Saudi Arabia, from agrocery wholesaler in Jeddah to a cleaning supplier in Khobar, could accessinstant, sharia-compliant credit to stock their shelves, deliver orders, orgrow?

Today, Aajil is doing just that. Its infrastructure nowsupports BNPL across sectors, with credit limits up to SAR 2 million,AI-powered scanning tools, and flexible repayment plans.

Crucially, the model is merchant-agnostic: suppliersget paid upfront, while buyers pay over time. It’s a win-win for businessecosystems, accelerating trade without increasing counterparty risk.

Toward a BNPL-Enabled Economy

Saudi Arabia is undergoing one of the fastest digital andeconomic transformations in the region. With Vision 2030 drivingdiversification, SME growth, and financial inclusion, the need for moderncredit infrastructure has never been greater.

BNPL is not a passing trend. In the B2B context, it’s afoundation for economic velocity. It enables faster procurement, strongersupply chains, and better inventory alignment, all critical in an ecosystemdriven by small businesses.

As Aajil scales BNPL across sectors, it’s not just solving acredit problem, it’s enabling a new kind of economy: one where opportunityisn’t delayed by liquidity.

Because in the new Saudi economy, access to credit shouldmove at the speed of business.

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