<p>Strong economic performance in many resource-rich countries, such as Saudi Arabia has often been driven by abundant natural resources, particularly fossil fuels, leading to resource-intensive economic activities and high energy consumption. In line with global efforts to achieve net-zero emissions, Saudi Arabia is increasingly pursuing economic diversification through the development of non-resource sectors, such as manufacturing, which is vital for supporting a low-carbon transition. However, the current literature offers limited insight into the specific enablers that facilitate this shift within the manufacturing context. Therefore, this study identifies and analyses the significant enablers of the Net-Zero Economy (NZE) transition in the manufacturing sector of Saudi Arabia. This study identified twelve enablers through the literature review and experts’ feedback. To get deeper insights, the grey DEMATEL method is applied to develop the causal relationship among these enablers and categorised it into cause-and-effect groups. Six enablers, including the government incentive policies, willingness to pay a premium, environmental protection laws, availability of funds, environmental awareness and strategic planning and an effective roadmap are categorised as cause group enablers and the remaining six are effect group. By focusing on the cause group enablers, Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector can take a forward step towards the net-zero goals. This study offers valuable insights into how manufacturing sectors can contribute to global emission reduction efforts, thereby supporting the transition to a NZE. It also addresses the role of the manufacturing sector to support the transformation toward low-carbon emissions.</p>