One in Six People — A Market Too Large to Ignore

The Global Picture

The World Health Organization estimates that around 1.3 billion people, equivalent to 16% of the global population, experience a significant disability. This means disability is not a small or isolated demographic; it is one of the largest and most diverse population groups in the world. The number is also expected to increase as populations age and chronic health conditions become more common.

Visual accessibility is particularly relevant to Noor Path. WHO estimates that at least 2.2 billion people worldwide live with near or distance vision impairment. While this figure includes a broad spectrum of conditions—from mild and correctable impairment to severe sight loss—it demonstrates how frequently people encounter difficulty accessing information that is presented visually.

The economic influence of disability extends beyond individuals with disabilities themselves. Families, friends, companions, and caregivers often make decisions based on whether a destination, product, service, or experience is accessible. Market estimates cited by the Valuable 500 place the combined annual spending power of people with disabilities and their wider networks at approximately $13 trillion. This is an industry estimate rather than an official national-accounting figure, but it illustrates the scale of accessibility as a consumer and business consideration.

Accessibility therefore affects more than one customer segment. It influences where families travel, shop, dine, receive healthcare, attend events, and spend time together. When one member cannot independently use a service, the experience and purchasing decisions of the wider group may also be affected.

Global Key Message

Designing for accessibility does not serve a small minority. It removes barriers for one of the world’s largest communities while improving usability for older adults, temporary injuries, families, visitors, and people navigating unfamiliar environments.

The Saudi Opportunity

Saudi Arabia’s 2022 Census recorded the prevalence of disability and functional difficulty at 4.2% of the Kingdom’s population, rising to 5.9% among Saudi citizens. The Authority for the Care of People with Disabilities reports approximately 1.35 million people with disabilities based on census data. These figures should not be compared directly with WHO’s 16% estimate because the definitions, severity thresholds, age ranges, and statistical methodologies differ.

The Saudi Persons with Disability Statistics Report 2023 provides particularly relevant insights for an accessibility technology platform:

• 77.9% of persons with disabilities aged five and above owned a mobile phone.
• 58.8% used the internet.
• Approximately 71.4% reported either significant difficulty or complete inability when accessing public transportation and navigating public places.
• Only 26% reported participating in social activities.

These figures reveal a clear intersection between three realities:

• A significant population exists.
• Mobile technology is already part of daily life.
• Physical navigation and participation barriers remain substantial.

For Saudi organizations, accessibility is therefore not only a compliance or charitable consideration. It is connected to service quality, digital transformation, customer experience, social participation, and institutional reputation.

Strategic Relevance to Noor Path

Noor Path operates precisely at the point where these needs meet. It uses the smartphone—already owned by a large proportion of the target population—to connect physical environments with accessible audio information and directional support.

The strongest market position is not to claim that every person with a disability needs Noor Path. Rather, Noor Path should demonstrate that a large, digitally connected population continues to face barriers when navigating locations and accessing visually presented information.

Infographic Callouts

• 1 in 6 people globally experiences significant disability.
• 2.2 billion people have near or distance vision impairment.
• Around 1.35 million persons with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.
• 77.9% mobile-phone ownership among persons with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.
• 71.4% experience major difficulty navigating public spaces and transport.