Beijing-headquartered China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has won a contract to build the permanent headquarters of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA).

The contract covers the construction of a 275-metre, 55-storey office tower located in Kuwait City’s Sharq district. The project is expected to be completed by 2028.

According to results published on the Kuwait Central Agency for Public Tenders (Capt) website, the firm initially submitted a bid of $233m, as MEED reported in January. The tender was issued on 19 October 2025 and bids were submitted on 18 November, MEED reported.

The contract is the latest in a series of high-profile projects signed by CSCEC in the GCC region this year. Last month, it won a contract to deliver the Janadriyah cultural district at Qiddiya entertainment city on the outskirts of Riyadh. The contract was awarded by gigaproject developer Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC).

The scope covers the construction of six structures, including a heritage building, a gateway hotel, a wadi hotel, a creative hub, a community centre and an open-air market.

In June, MEED exclusively reported that QIC had awarded CSCEC a contract to build a new transport hub at Qiddiya entertainment city.

The project is located within the resort core zone of the development.

Kuwait market overview

UK analytics firm GlobalData expects Kuwait’s construction industry to average annual growth of 4.9% in 2026-29, supported by government investment in renewable energy and transport infrastructure.

In September 2025, Kuwait’s government allocated KD1.3bn ($4.2bn) for 141 projects, as part of its capital spending during the fiscal year 2025-26. This allocation was intended for 162 current projects and 17 new projects.

According to government data, as of September 2025, the country had around 300 active projects, valued at about KD35.3bn ($115bn), with large infrastructure projects making up nearly half of that total.