New Jeddah Secretary Appointed with Ministerial Rank

Ihsan bin Abbas bin Hamza Bafaqih has been appointed as Secretary (Mayor) of Jeddah Governorate at the excellent (ministerial-level) rank, following royal orders issued in July–August 2026. The role falls under the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing.

The appointment is aimed at enhancing municipal services, urban development, public service delivery, and administrative performance across Jeddah Governorate. It forms part of a broader 2026 pattern of royal orders assigning senior officials with ministerial or excellent rank to key administrative and regulatory positions, with the goal of improving governance and coordination across regions.

What it means for residents

For Jeddah residents and businesses, the core digital service channels remain unchanged. Municipal transactions — including commercial licenses, construction permits, municipal violations, health permits, and fee payments — continue to be processed through the Balady platform under national municipal fee schedules.

Other government services continue through their established platforms: Absher for civil affairs, traffic, and passport services; Najiz for justice and documentation; Nafath for unified digital identity login; Tawakkalna for general government services and notifications; Etimad for government procurement; Qiwa for private-sector labor services; and Muqeem for residency and establishment services.

There is no publicly available 2026 information indicating new or changed municipal fees, validity periods, or application steps in Jeddah tied directly to this appointment. Existing procedures continue to follow national workflows — application via the relevant e-platform, electronic payment, digital issuance, and renewal based on established regulations. Residents are advised to complete transactions through the official platforms as usual.

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