This Singapore Company's Next Frontier: Providing Top-Tier Lodging for Migrant Workers in Middle East

Singapore-based Centurion Corporation is charting an ambitious path forward toward the Middle East, according to a Business Times report on 16 Feb 2026.

As a leading provider of purpose-built workers' accommodation (PBWA) and student housing, Centurion (stock price $1.55, market cap $1.3 billion) is leveraging its expertise in a calculated "baby steps" expansion, targeting worker and mid-skilled housing in three countries.

The Middle East region is ripe with opportunities due to its heavy reliance on migrant labor and a burgeoning expatriate workforce, particularly in sectors like construction, oil and gas, and infrastructure development.

Countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are undergoing massive projects—think Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia or Expo City Dubai—that demand quality housing for blue- and grey-collar workers.

Westlite Ubi Resident Apartment Centurion's Westlite Ubi -- the first to meet Ministry of Manpower's New Dormitory Standards (including max 12 pax per room, 1m bed spacing, en-suite toilets and kitchens) well ahead of the 2040 compliance deadline. Opened in 4Q 2024, the dorm hit full occupancy by April 2025, with ~$600 per bed, per month rates. Photo: Company

Centurion plans to replicate its successful Westlite model from Singapore, which emphasizes compliant, modern facilities with amenities like gyms, Wi-Fi, and recreational spaces.

kongcheemin8.25 Centurion CEO Kong Chee Min, 59, guiding analysts and media through the new Westlite Ubi. File photo.

This model has proven effective in addressing worker welfare, a growing priority amid global scrutiny on labor conditions.

CEO Kong Chee Min told Business Times: “At the moment, the accommodations (in the region) are not the best. We intend, based on our experience in Singapore of what is good worker accommodation, to use that template… and do the same thing in the Middle East.”

He notes the potential for Centurion to "grow much, much bigger in the worker accommodation space."

While specifics on timelines and partnerships remain under wraps, this entry marks Centurion's first presence in the region, aiming to diversify revenue streams beyond Asia.

Broker	Target Price for Centurion stock	Date
UOB Kay Hian	$1.90	2026-01-20
Maybank	$1.52	2025-11-24
RHB	$1.88	2026-01-22
Phillip Securities	$1.81	2025-11-17

Bolstering Presence in Malaysia

Closer to home, Centurion is aggressively expanding in Malaysia, where demand for PBWA is surging due to industrial growth and infrastructure projects.

In September 2025, the company acquired Harum Megah Resources Sdn Bhd for RM110.8 million (about S$33.2 million), adding six PBWA assets in Johor with 7,197 beds.

This boosted its Malaysian portfolio by 25% to around 35,610 beds, spanning Johor, Penang, and Selangor—key hubs for manufacturing workers.

The assets are fully operational.

Healthy occupancies and an established customer base make these additions immediately accretive to earnings.

Looking ahead, Centurion eyes manufacturing hotspots, supported by ongoing developments like data centers and semiconductor plants, which are drawing more migrant workers.

Continued Strength in Singapore

Singapore remains Centurion's cornerstone, with the CEO reaffirming commitment to "shoring up domestic presence."

Centurion's PBWA portfolio here boasts impressive metrics including average occupancy of 99% in 9M 2025.

Westlite Ubi Gym A gym for workers at the shiny new 1,650-bed Westlite Ubi. Other facilities include multi-purpose halls, and on-site minimarts and barber shop. Photo: Company

Across Singapore, rents have roughly doubled from S$250 per bed in 2019 to S$550, driven by a supply-demand imbalance.

Recent initiatives by Centurion include acquiring a 65% stake in a property at 7 Kim Chuan Lane for S$4.8 million to develop a new PBWA.